Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-25
LITERARY LIFE OF rne H0so.
II Was Harder wsrk Than NJ Expected,
Though Ne Made His ktueaiioa Pay.


handler He was ragged and shamb-
ling and sickly. He entered the Ship
News office, where half dozen re-
porters were virulently and more or
less alphabetically discussing the
place of Japan as a naval power, and
began:
Would any of you gentlemen help a
poor man that's had nothing to eat
this day."
So trite was the appeal that nobody
even looked around.
II amt asking you for money con-
tinued the ragged visitor. IAN l want
is
Same old game" remarked one of
the reporters glancing around. Il
suppose you want; US to escort you to
restaurant and buy you a meal
mo, sir" was the reply. 'I'll get
the meal myself if somebody will lend
me pencil and bit Of paper"
Here's a new breed of panhandler.
boys" said the man addressed. Drop
| the Japs and turn your attention
hither This is more curious than the
Japanese navy. He's begging for PEN
| ellis"
Not begging. exactly. sir" correct
ed the visitor. Til return the pencil,
but the paper I'd want for myself"
What are you: an artist in the cos
| tune of your kind?' somebody asked.
I'm a tramp" the man admitted
| frankly "A regular hobo. Pm no
| good, but this time I've got scheme
to make little honest money with
out working too hard for it. I'm going
to make my education pay" he added.
| Il know how to write
Go ahead and write. then" said
one Of the men, handing him pencil
and some sheets of paper
Much obliged" said the hobo; III
do it right here
| Placing his paper on desk he be-
gan with much writing OF the lips.
denoting severe mental effort, to in
scribe laboriousIy large characters
upon the sheet, while the reporters re-
sumed their discussion. Presently the
visitor interrupted them to ask:
How many ms in plum
zone in an ordinary blue plum. -
answered somebody. What are you
doing, writing a poem on fruit?"
Poetry amt paying graft, hear.
said the tramp. This is just ordinary
common writing. like you talk.
When you get it finished show it up
! if it isn't a private matter.
Sure, | will. ! can trust you gents
not to sponge on my patent. This had
ought to be a money maker. this had
| After ten minutes of toll the hobo
drew long breath of relief and salts
| faction and announced
She's finished
! On the desk We're spread out the
sheets of paper. each bearing legend
in big, printed letters. One read
"Peeches. 2 fr d" another, "Benanners
&c apece;" third. "PIums, ct apiece.
fir 81 and so on through a considerable
| list of such wares as the street fruit
stands keep.
Starting in the fruit business, eh"
said the lender of the pencil
And where would l get my stock"
asked the. composer of trade legends
NO. sir; that amt my game. Watch
| me-
| Out he went across the rough pave
ment of the Battery roadway, upon
| which the immigrants stumble when
| they make their entrance to the new
| world. and addressed Big Maria, one Of
the many fruit vendors who cluster in
| that vicinity. What passed between
them the reporters could not hear dis
| tinctly, but from the vehemence OF
| their gesticulations it was obviously q
| matter of barter. Nothing else would
! have SO aroused Maria. At length her
| voice reached pitch where it was dis
| tinctly audible across the street az she
| shrieked out:
Fifteen cints fer thin four bits o
paper. G'wan out O here"
| The tramp said something which
couldn't be heard.
mo. nor tin" cried Big Maria
/ There's but four O. thin. An how io
| l know they're wrote right?"
| To this the signmaker must have pro-
posed that the reporters be asked to
pass on the fitness of his work. for the
| pair came over TO the Office, where the
correctness of the signs was duly at
! tested. Thereupon the fruit woman
agreed to pay ten cents for the lot if an
apple sign were added, and this was
quickly done.
| Now" said the tramp. as she went
away to affix the new signs, having
first carefully arranged them SO that
she might not get them wrongly dis
tributed. I'm started. Here's your
pencil back with thanks"
"Oh. keep the pencil. and tell us how
you knew the right prices" was the
reply.
| "Sneaked around to hear folks ask
and remembered them said the
tramp. THE notion just happened to
strike me from hearing an old guy
kick because he had to ask so many
questions to find out what he wanted co
get. so l COPIED onto what she told him
and bluffed her into taking the signs
How did you manage that?"
| Told her if she didn't take them
somebody else would. and folks would
buy their fruit where they could see
the prices fair and open. That's what
fetched her. Now. TN tackle that
Dago there on the same principle"
Within an hour every fruit dealer on
the Battery front was the possessor OF
a set of the hobos hand made signs.
and that ingenious worthy jingled IL
pocket full of small coins with great
satisfaction.
More dough than I've made since I
stopped working" he remarked as he
stepped in to express his thanks before
taking his leave. I'D ought to get a
| patent on this It's a great graf.