The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-18
Che Waffep OF a DEATH,

/ was going into the cable office in Pan
anna. A confused heap of malodorous
rags and bones shuff1ed from a corner in
the pretty little garden that is before
the Office and stood beside me. ] heard
the heap say: 81 beg your pardon. sir.
but have the honor to address an Eng
lishman?"
whats that ?" said I.
"Ah, an American, perceive 1t said
blandly. $50 much the better. 1 prefer
my cousins to my brothers-you are more
credulous."
81 can't help you / began Being
the correspondent Of an American paper
in Panama every English-speaking tramp
that struck the isthmus felt justified in
asking me for money or a ticket to
Goods country" or liquor, or both.
Permit me to observe that 1 have not
yet asked you for the help you are
prompt to refuse, SIR it said. He was,
indeed, a malodorous tramp. Moreovef
/ was in hurry to cable to my paper
the news of the serious revolutionary
outbreak In Colombia and severe earth
quake in Ecuador. Nevertheless-per-
haps his magniloquent speech amused
me at the time-I paused and averting
my nostrils. asked it: What Is it,
then?"
Those beggars in the office refuse to
give me a cable blank, alleging most IL
logically that 1 lack the wherewith to
pay for the transmission of the mes
sage. Now, will you be good enough to
secure one for me?'' My face must have
betrayed hesitancy, for it added: 'In
remember your kindness later on, believe
me-
Very WE'LL" I told him.
1 went into the office and sent off my
news. Then I asked one of the clerks il
they knew it outside.
YES" said the clerk. HE is tramp;
came up from the South several days
ago. Sunday he walked in and wrote
a long message. He handed it to me,
but just as I was going to read 1t he
snatched 1t from my hand and cried:
No. Not yet, by" He went away.
Yesterday he came again. He was very
drunk-frightful. Anisado jag, too,
which is no altar of roses. He asked
for another cable blank. 1 told him
to help himself and he wrote at least
fifty words on two sheets. Well, he read
1t over. BY lingo. he seemed to sober
up wonderfully as he read. He straight
ened himself up and brought his fist
down with bang on the counter, up
setting the fnkstand; and he said: No. by
heaven! I sha'n't give them the satis-
faction of getting this He tore up the
paper into small bits and then he SEEM
ed to relapse into beastly drunkenness
and staggered out Early this morning
he was here, but 1 was vexed about the
ink and told him to get out and stay
out. He has been hanging about ever
since. Now. Mr.. Elliott, will you please
tell me why a filthy drunken hobo like
that does not get so much as a slight
cold and man like poor Allen, who
took such good care Of himself, got vel
low fever and died."
L told him the leniency of Providence
in respect to hoboes and other animals
was beyond me- 1 took the blank out
to the one in the garden AS l gave 1t
to him l studied him. He was a short
man for an Englishman, such as on the
average you meet in South America; that
is, he was about five feet two or three
inches. He had light brown hair and a
blond beard, both streaked with gray.
His red, sun-burnt face was of the
tramp type that declines to tell it's age.
All 1t said was.s Between thirty and
fifty.
\"Here," said I: there's your blank"
Many thanks. dear boy. If 1 could
only find a quiet nook where 1 might
write a message and-now." with sud-
my word not to ask for money or drink
will you let me write in your Officer" His
head was thrown forward, eagerly ex-
pectapt He was a tramp among tramps.
His eyes were bloodshot and lachry-
mose-the chronic tearfulness of con-
firmed drunkard. But his promise caught
my fancy. and 1 said: Come on, then -
All, the New York Gazette he said,
reading my door plate. you, pre-
sumo are Mr.. Stephen Elliott, it's dis
tinguished correspondent. Sir, 1 am
pleased, indeed. to know you. You are
very kind, indeed. Once, 1 myself"
1 motioned him to a writing table, and
helping himself to pen and ink he. began
to write very slowly and laboriousy. 1t
was not the hesitancy of an uneducated
man, but rather that of a man who is
at once thinking a great deal and fight
ing hard to steady rum-shaken nerves.
He finished and turned to me.
please be good enough to hear me pa
tiently to the end of a short story" he
said. Refuse my request after / am
done, if you will; but don't interrupt
me. I wish to send a cablegram to Lon
don, asking for some money. 1t will be
cabled here to you. and you will turn it
over to me. / am asking for, 920O 1t
will be enough to take me home via
New York. All I ask now Is that you
pay the cable tolls. You may think the
message / am sending is lunatic's but,
believe me, the person to whom it is adj
dressed will understand it and will act
promptly 1 should have an answer
early tomorrow morning. Read it,
/ read:
Burlington. Marlborough Club, London:
Gable f200 Immediately to Stephen Ell
lott. Panama. You were right. / was
wrong. 1t was a yew and the dog flew.
Jack
why don't you so to the British consul
and ask him." said.
MY dear SIR. you are at liberty to rs-