The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-08-10
ONLY AN INDUSTRIAL OUTCAST
aY1 \ Y !. !.
BY LIzZIE N. HOLMES.

y
Punishment for q; moment; then rose ais
quickly az he could to his feet and re-
moved his hat. Tavia noticed how
white and well shaped was his fore
head. and that his hair was brown and
curly.
did you come down here to bring me
food?" y. 49, a.
''Why. Of course did,"
"But aren't you afraid2 TIM tramp
"a creature women and children run
away FROM
II guess you're man and q hungry
one. Here, eat this"
The man thanked here respectfully
and sat down before the food. Although
very hungry he did not eat ravenously
or uncouthly. Tavia leaned against a
tree some feet distant and looked at
him with 4 grave, practical air.
My pa says that every man who
| wants to can get work. How does it
come that you can't? I don't ask to be
impudent, but I'd like o know about
these things >.@ -:
"well, Miss" the tramp answered
respectfully. II will have to tell you
| q part of my history In order to ex-
plain it. am the son Of parents who
worked in a shoe factory in Massaehu-
sets all their lives. was sent to
school until I was twelve and got g.
pretty good start, and I always liked
! to. read have gained q little since.
Then I went into the factory. I worked
there steadily until about year ago.
know how to make a. fraction Of a
shoe and don't know how to do an
other useful thing on earth. My
muscles are all trained to one set of
motions and are not strong at anything
else. When they put in a new machine
which threwout of work about fifty Of
US, was one to go. I started to look
for other work. Sometimes got odd
Jobs, sometimes tried farm labor, but
was not as strong as I should be and
was awkward. and no one ever kept
me long. I worked in the harvest field
few days, but the man wouldn't keep
me. So have been going, getting a
little worse Oft all the time.''
"But if you are energetic and indus
trious and sober you will be sure to get
on" said Tavia in imitation Of her
fathers manner.
"Well, am not over and above ener-
getic and clever. I don't know how to
push myself ahead. haven't the fac
ulty for over-reaching others and tax
ing their jobs away. did my work in
the factory faithfully and we'll, but
I'm not one Of the kind to catch on
quickly at g: new thing. Still am will
Ing to work at whatever can, if they'll
Only let me-
"Then you don't like to be tramp"
mo, little girl, don't. Why, I went
three days without a mouthful of food
before could bring myself to ask for a
meal"
II am sorry. I can't understand
| things. It seems to me the world is
full of good things to eat-and every
thing. l don't see why anybody should
&c hungry or want a home. But most
tramps rather be ,.tramps than any
thing else, would mt they ??'' 81. b
There may be men who get started
In that line and ind they can live with
out working long hours under hard
boss for very little pay, and so don't
really try to get work. But that Is after
all self-respect has been snubbed out
of thena,' >~
The man had nearly finished his meal,
and in the conversation and the con-
ISOLATION of his supper nearly forgot
himself and was holding up his head
like man and glancing at the young
girl now and then an though talking to
an equal. Tavia was very much inter-
ested, leaning forward 80 as not to
miss a word. A slight sound attracted
their attention and looking up. in the
gathering dusk. they saw portly fig
ure looking down upon them. It was
Tavia's father.
Mr.. Nathaniel Richards was not the
cold. unsympathetic man that his words
would seem to indicate. At heart, he
was too kind to dismiss hungry man
without mouthful and feel easy over
it. The weary, disheartened look Of the
dismissed tramp haunted him. When
| Uncle Dave left, Richards. sauntered
down towards the creek, surmising the
tramp would go there. and If he could
give g. fairly good account of himself,
the farmer determined to bring him
back to the house and give him a sup
per and bed. Very much surprised was
he to find his daughter and the man en-
gagged in an absorbing conversation.
The two were startled at his sudden
appearance, but Tavia, never greatly
abashed, soon spoke:
Nov pa, don't scold? believe you
have come down here yourself to give
this man supper, You couldn't stand
1t to think OF his going away hungry
any more than could"
| "Octavia, 80 home this minute? You
had no business to come out here any
way, without asking anyone"
The girl laughed, knowing well that
her fathers ozark was worse than hi.
bite" patted his arm, and went home
The farmer sat down, had talk with
the tramp which resulted In bringing
him back to the house, giving him
some hot coffee. chance for a bath
and bed where the farm hands slept
Mr.. Richards told them at home that
the new mans name Was Phillip Nor.
land and that he would stay and work
a few days.
A.