The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-02-06

Z
except 10 axs fof food aad drsak.
The section houses ssneraiis led him
bat aay family Who lives on the path
81 hla strange travels would have
he.n ouiy too willing TO hav. siscn
htm aid | have s.-sa men offer hin,
money bu, b. would only shake ais
bead and haze heard aenple sftas
him shelter hu, his oni3 reply Sas
10 shake his head | have sewn men
hold him. he would not resist but
would resume his Journey when thss
would let go His clothes we're al
WAYS cast or garments that h"
would pick up along the side u the
railroad He generally wore tive or
six old hats tied together with strings
and all Of them worthless Bat the
etrangest par, Of all was he always
carried load OF rags tied up in balls
something after the fashioG that our
mothers did their carpet rags. His
load was always an immense one
and hut few men could have Travelled
under it's weight. once saw some
bows take his rags away from him
and examine them but they found
nothing whatever They then pour
I'd kerosene on them and burnt them,
he watched tin they were consumed
| then proceeded on his journey but
when ] saw him again he was loaded
with his rags as usual, He never
gives the trainmen any trouble, al
WAYS stepping from the track in
| plenty of time for the trains 10 pass
/ him. and. have been told that he al
ways refused the offers OF conductors
who offered "a allow him TO ride.
Strange man. people have wondered
from whence he came, who he was,
| but no one knew one thing about It,
People knew he was crazy, that was
all. and pitied him, for he was a
| fellow man and q brother Why he
was never restrained | never knew,
but he was harmless and inoiiensive
and always slept at night among his
rags
| Do YOU remember the cold 18th of
February, 1899? was teaching
school AT Richland Texas. a station
on the II. 4 T. G. railway. > miles
south OF Corsicana. My wife and
children were away visiting and !
was at home alone that cold Satur
day night ! had cooked for myself
| a fine supper and had pot of steam
| ing coffee. | was hungry as a bear
! and was thinking what feast |
| would have. 1t was an hour after
| dark and the winds were bowling
! till the cold shivers ran through the
very marrows of my bones. There
was knock at my door, | opened it
and in walked the Rag Man q
am only tramp but almost frozen,
i will you take me in US terrible
night" he says. Nothing would
give me more pleasure I am sure,
replied. He took a seat and l re-
plenished the stove with coal. I saw
that he was nearly frozen and
| took a bottle of spirits from the cup
board, poured some into a tumble
of hot water and told him to drink
He did, and in a short time wa
warm and comfortable. We sat dow
to the supper table and he ate vor
aciously and drank three cups O
coffee. During all this time we talk
ed on minor topics just as any other
two men would have done. We chat
ted for half hour after supper
when he said he was tired and de-
sired to sleep | offered him a bed
which he positively declined, saying
that he would sleep on the floor be-
i-iI do | hi m 40
quilts and in minute he was
asleep. ! never slept any that night,
for of course. | was afraid OF him.
but sat up and read. Next morning
at 3 o'clock he awohe and got up. II
nope you have enjoyed your sleep,
| says. Il feel greatly refreshed and
thank YOU for being so kind to ne,
but YOU have slept none have YOU ?
don't blame YOU for you don {
know who | am and are afraid OF
me, but assure you, | never did any
human being any harm and nope |
never may was his reply Why not
tell me OF yourself. says. Il
should be glad 10 know. Il will, ne
says, for ! may never have another
| opportunity Use what ! tell YOU as
yon think best " He talked 10 me fog
more than an hour, and this is bis
story
Twenty years ago Was a
blacksmith in another state. ! VII
not tell where for | newer want my
people to know what becam, ~ ne
when die I want 10 be forgotten,
aud I hope no man will ev"I suffer
the mental anguish that ! have |
have but one consolation ana that
Us that nay troubles have not been
of ms own choosing. haN. suffered
Tor the misdeeds of Others Z had my
shop aud nice little home. both all
my own had fine trade Ire my
line and u seemed tu m, that very
body was my friend iielr Pc paus-
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