The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-11-15
A LEARNED TRAMP.


He Speaks Eleven Languages and il
Studying Another.
A weary footed individual was
brought into a Buffalo police station
from the railroad yards He was dress
ed in bullying, tattered garments, ano
carried a cane and q book. When
searched it was found that he had on
five suits of clothes He said that he
put on the first one three years and
half ago, and had never taken it off
A search of his pockets revealed GU
Irious assortment of articles. There was
a razor, a half-dozen bars Of soap, sew
eral plugs of tobacco, small mirror, a
collection Of shells and lucky stones, g
heap of newspaper clippings, few
crusts of bread, three chunks of hard
meat, five cent piece with hole in it,
a whisl1 broom, copy of Scott's Lady
of the Lake" New Testament and a
Hebrew grammar. The mass of stuff
surprised even the tramp, who volun-
teered the information that he would in
the future take an inventory Of himself
once in while.
what is your name?" asked the desk
sergeant.
'F,. Fl. L. M. Trask."
"Well fixed for names. You know
them all?" said the desk sergeant.
ITO be specific, its Francis Harrison
Littlestone Marion Trask," rejoined the
prisoner. my parents tucked them all
on to me, and I've hung on to them so
far, and 1 might as well keep on"
Can you read?" asked the sergeant,
continuing to take the mans record
eleven languages, and can speak
them, too" replied Trask, triumphantly.
The desk sergeant nearly collapsed.
And when J. learn that" resumed
Trask, indicating the Hebrew grammar,
TIL have twelve"
Trask was induced to talk about him
self
"I speak English, French. German,
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish,
Swedish, Icelandic, Latin and Greek"
said he, land I hope to learn few
more. If live long enough I expect to
be able to speak all the languages there
are-that is, all those that are spoken
by any great number Of people,
"And then what do you intend to do?"
asked the sergeant.
''If I have good luck I shall probably
die about that time. You understand,
I'm not mercenary. I'm not stuffing my
mind that I may reap monetary har-
vest from it. I'm an artist for arts
sake. ] learn languages because [ like
them. / began when | was fifteen years
old, and have been studying ever since.
I learned French first, and although |
Seldom converse with a Frenchman, l
find that I never forget. | have plenty
of time for study. You understand what
1 am. don't deny it. 1 haven't worked
in quite long time. I can figure out
spending five hours day drumming up
and eating my meals, and the rest of
the time / can spend to suit myself. If
[ happen to be taking a long boxcar
ride / pass the time studying, and if I
find good feeding locality and good
place to sleep I SOMETHING'S hang out
there week, which gives me a good
deal of time to pursue my studies. What
am | going to take next? l have
thought Of tackling Chinese, but I may
change my mind and take a round out
of Polish. Chinese is a pretty hard
Trask said that his early education
was neglected, and that if he had re-
manned at home and done as his father
desired him to do he would no doubt,
have been a prosperous hostler. He
was brought up in Wilmington, Del,
and left home when seventeen years
Old. He has never been back home, and
asserts that he never will go back He
said he had no intention of remaining
n Buffalo, and promised to get out in
stantly if allowed to do so. He was al
owed to depart yesterday morning.
Rochester Union and Advertiser.