St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-01-29
raAMps HAVE ANEW ROMANCE


Ceax Nickels from the Tender-fieart-
ed with Tales Of the kfondike.
"Piease, ya'am. will you help me lit
tie? I'm a poor woman with SIX chill
iren to support and no husband to helr
me-"
"Is your husband dead:"
mo, ma'am; he's gone to the Klondike
and he won't be back until next year.
"Gone to the Klondike!" This is the
burden of the plant with which the
child beggars of Chicago and their
mothers are endeavoring to excite SYM
pathy and draw forth the coin of the
realm this autumn. Gone to the klon-
dixie" will serve for "patter admira-
bly, all winter. Always on the lookout
for new ideas. the professional beggars
Of the city have deserted their time
worn hard luck and no work in favor OF
he Klondike song, and every other fem.'
nine or childish mendicant who haunss
back doors and street corners will MAKE
use of it this winter. Nor is the "Gone
to the Klondike" idea confined to the
women and children by any means.
The authorities of the charitable So
cieties are growing weary OF Klondike
tales of woe. and the novelty of such mar
rations has long since worn of Tor the
dwellers in comfortable residence dis
tricts. Unless something new turns up
to once more whet the public appetites
for Klondike details of all kinds the
tramps and beggars are likely toSfind
their newest excuse growing decidedly
stale before the season closes.
"Just how and where the tramps and
mendicants acquire the knowledge
which enables them to take advantage
of every public happening of note is
question which has always puzzled me
greatly" said man who has grown old
in caring for and working among the
people of this class in Chicago, -but that
they do acquire it somehow is unques-
tionable, as everyone who has ever
worked among tramps and beggars will
admit. Whenever anything of public
interest happens it is Immediately
turned to account by the men, women,
ard children who live by their wits and
the careless generosity of other people.
Thus the worlds fair, the financial
panic, the yellow fever scare, and host
of other notable occurrences have all
been turned to practical account by
them"
The Klondike story. in all its varied
manifestations, began to make its ap-
pearance just as soon as the nights
grew chilly. 1t was quite too good an
opportunity for the ingenious tramp to
lose. 1t is impossible to prove or dis.
prove it, and anything which pertain.
to the Klondike is popular with the pub
lie just now. And then, too, the idea OF
the wonderful finds of gold took posses
sion of Weary Willie's Imagination be-
yond doubt. There is something about
the idea of large sums of money, OF
moneys .so-t,9 which is irresistibly at
tractiye to the orol.-.-. mans fancy,
especially If he happens f nnssess lit.
tie or none of that commodity, s'Aas
tramp with the Klondike story un.
doubtedly enjoys telling it far more
than he would less romantic tale.
This is true for the women and chill.
dren also, although to lesser extent,
but the husband gone to the Klondike"
romance is one Of the best lodges whicE
could be worked, speaking from finan-
:ial standpoint. The idea OF woman
parted from her husband, or of hungry
children whose father is away laborine
for the gold which is to make them all
happy later, is one which appeals, al
most irresistibly, to the average gen
erous man or woman, and success gen.
orally attends its development.-Chi.
cago Tribune.