The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
Fosr-YAcAT1oN PEssiMIsk.
Thoughts Suggested by an Encounter with q
Tramp in the Couptry.

Thoughts Suggested By an Encounter with .
Tramp in the Couptry.
He had returned 70 his work in the city after
two weeks holiday IN the country, and he TO
turned in good health but bad spiJita
Its wrong he said, over his pipe, TO let .
man Gait OF Jail like that Tor two weeks, and
put him back the treadmill Anyway. you
can't expect him 70 be satisfied when you do IL
Il wish was q tramp met ono out there I
was out for q walk. and struck down into a ravins
of the road, until came TO little recess oil cool
and grecn-lookine and shady. you know. and sat
down there under tree There was some sort Of
bush beside me. 80 that couldn't sec down the
ravne any iupher, and t,e creek Just tnere runs
over soms stones 10 couldn't hear much else,
and besides the wind In the trees was making a
good bit OF noise But when Hooked up--well,
sir, when looked up there was the most villain
Gus looking tough you ever saw, with his head
over those bushes, aiming whoppinE big musket
at me thought II was musket, but aitcrward,
when got talking 10 him. l saw II was only o
wooden leg, and he'd unstrapped II and was squirt
ing down i'll ike musket
when / saw him scowling al me over the bush
thS way. i said: what's the matter with your
or course was irg htened. but didn let on was
Throw up your hands, he said. I said: oh,
come Of
ButsS hc thOuBht "d' WuS y prciy Boou
Joke Anyway, he laughed You're pretty
cool, he said Well thought could Jolly him.
said: oh. yes pretty cool Tor this time OF year
Got a MATCH? NO. he said have you got some
tobacco?
Il knew he'd bite on that why said, OF
course have Come round here and All up He
came round too and he was ugly-looking. He
had OH an old dieer. faded green, with the hm all
off. and an awful shock OF hair You could SCARCE
ly sec his eyes Tor eyebrows The rest OF his TACO
was Just whskers and when he grinned he'd only
one front tooth.
well. he sat down on a stone, and pulled q clay
daub out OF his coat pocket The coat was an old
Prince Albert with the tails torn of, and Il but
toned up on him like the hide on a starved mule
His trousers looked kind Of new, but he inst had
some straw and brown wrapping paper tied round
his one foot for boot Anyth.p- fer a quiet
life, he said, when looked att Can't afford to
get boots made to order, an that foot, bein' a
spnster, so to speak, is nnicky. She won't stand
no new -fanSled tooth pick toes Then he grfnned
out that one tooth of his. and blew into the Pipe
Been smokin' leaves, he said an leaves er'
whatyou'd call deteratin' on the palate handed
him over pouch OF fine cut, and he stuffed his
knobby nose into IL And he Just looked like q
Skye terrier, all WHISPERS, smiling at II and wink
ing out over the pouch 'P'raps' he said. you
mightnt have somethn' TO eat with this smoke
eh7 went through my pockets while he III up
Cause, he said, I amt had anythin' much but
green apples, walnut size. sence last week Green
apples GOSH There amt anythin' painfuller
than green apples cept It's them little cucumbers
l hooked last night
"Of course. had nothing to give him. SO ho
united the trousers leg that wasn't filled with
leg. you know and took out handful OF little APP
pies Join me- he said. NO? Well, / don't
blame YOU Your taste amt been elevated TO
tramp lunches
You should have secnthat hobo trying to bite
those little apples with his one tooth. l got
laughing and he laughed, TOO II was like stab
bling peas with pitch-fork.
Then We got talking about thinga I asked
him why he didn't settle down somewhere and ges
work. Work. he said, I ust TO work when wat
young an foolish Tho trouble about work Is
there's too much work about it an not much moro
10 cot than can pick up round the green Youse
people only work fer your grub. Well. get mine
without workin,' see? What's the user
Il said man worked for home, and wife and
all that Gee, he said, that's H. Ell? Work to
pay some one your rent SOS he can 1.-Two without
workn. Work 10 keep a woman that's allus
scrappin' with you Work TO feed some qualn
kids that'll let you go to poorhouse when you're
worked out That's giddy game, amt IL?
Now. what oouldH say TO that?
Then he strapped on his leg again Got 10
keep movin' In our business he said. I sucked
dozen eggs found in q barn up on tho hill It's
about supper time They'll be missin' them
said Goodbye, and he said 'Trooly looral.'
ale was about right In some ways wasn't he7
why should fellow have to slave all year round
excepting Just two weeks, and then get married and
have to die IN harness, working the way the old
man did for us youngsters? What's the use? It's
enough TO make any man Wish he was tramp"