Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-11-24
A TRAMP'S
THANKSGIVING.
BY PETER NJ ARTHUR.
tcopyright, 1900. by p. Macarthur.


After all, Harry Benton was not so
much to blame as his wraricd frrnGS and
relatives thought he was lie had been
spoiled as child and as Il boy, So it nat
urally followed that he was an entirely
unhappy young man. His Collcg" rduca-
lion made him feel that he was above
doing druGGrry. and It's he had never
learned self denial or patience he could
not endure such work aS he WAS fitted
for. In consequence he looked 10 his
friends and relatives for help until they
wearicd OF lending money and using their
influence 10 get him positions that he
either could or would moi hold .ini he,
instead of being thankful for what had
been done for him. thought himself abus
ed bccauS" there WAS no great and good
friend who would make life easy for him.
At last Il family council was held at
which it Was decided that the only thing
for Harry to do waS to 20 west ana grow
up with the country Some one knew Il
ranchman who would give him employ
mcut, and n purse WAS made mp to send
Harry west. He took to the scheme en-
Enthusiastically aud imagined for himself
glorious career of hunting big game and
living the wild free life of the plains. He
had read fascinating stories of cowboy
ife and remembered how much he had
enjoyed camping out during his college
holidays. SO he felt quite satisfied re-
garding his future when his friends pro
vidcd him with what he needed and
started him on his journey. He did not
realize that they were simply applying
,hc old maxim that says, "Makc a bridge
If gold for Il flying enemy" He did not
Il, ;,,,,
EST in his welfare or felt any responsible
ity regarding him hcavcd a mighty sigh
of relief when they saw that he was
really gone.
"Pcrhaps hen get wakencd up out
there" they said to one another. ANY
way. he is of our hands" And they all
sighed again.
Harry reached the ranch in safety and
promptly began to make discoveries with
alarming rapidity TO begin with, he
found that the business instinct prevails
On the modern ranch as much as it does
On Broadway. Ranches are now run for
!he purpose Of raising beef that must
be carefully attended to from the veal
stage until the time when it is shipped
east TO the big slaughter houses if the
ranchman wishes to make profit. SO
harder and more mcnial service than had
ever fallen to his lot before. And as he
took no pains to conceal his dislike for
the work he Immediately became the butt
of the ranch. Every trick known to the
practical humorists of the plains was
tried on the spoiled boy from the east
until his life became uncndurable and
his disposition was such that instead of
bearing il all good naturcdly and making
friends with the painSmCn he became
imbittered and consequently was haZed
more unmcrcifully than ever. When he
had endured this life as long rs he could,
he finally sat down and wrote to each old
to help him. asking for enough money
to take him back home. He wrote let
ters that would draw tears from a stone
but, strange to say, they only made his
Did friends shluG their shoulders and
hlurmur something that sounded suSpi-
ciously like root hog or die" lie
asked that the money be sent to him at
the nearest postoiiice on the railroad, and
when sufficient time had elapsed for
the replies to be due he got up early one
morning and ran away from the ranch
1t was GO miles to the station and post
office, but he was young and strong and
he covered the distance without accumu.
lating more than the usual number of
water bliStrrs.
Although he did not know the fact at
first. he learned after his arrival that il