The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1908-07-28
A Tramp's One Chance.
Iorig,nal.l


something better, or supposed | had
nut ! didn't avail myself of It. Th,
reason didn't was because | couldn't
Anyway If had succeeded in maxim.
new start doubt II I'D have kent II,
the effort. There are people fitted fol
statesmen. soldiers. busIness-profes
sionai men. sailors. roustabouts. sery
ahts aud tramps was made for q
tramp.
The chance | refer to was this:>
was In my travelling carriage one day
! mean on the truck under u railwa,
car-when | espied Il paper that hal
been caught In a crevice. 1t looka
Ike bank bill. and its denomination,
appeared to be dollar. couldn't
reach II till the train stopped. and
was afraid 1t would become detached
before that. | was half an hour look.
Ing Mt II. wondering all the while how
II got there. II had probably been
dropped by some one. most likely at n
station. had been sucked up when the
train was in motion and, got lodged II,
the crevice. the sides of which had
been compressed from some cause OF
other 10 hold H.
AS soon ms the train came to n stop
reached for II. What was my astonish.
ment 10 find that the II" had Leen
looking at was followed by three
naughts. was the possessor Of a
thousand dollar bill. No sooner had |
become conscious of my good fortune
than crumpled II In my fist aud made
Tor field near the station at which
the train had stopped. Seeing barn.
went TO II. climbed into the NOV
and. reclining On the hay. thought what
l should do with my find.
spent whole afternoon thinking
We tramps take n lot of pleasure IN
thinking. just as other people take
pleasure In acting The tramp to ell.
JOY his profession should he a castle
builder. The afternoon I spent con.
jnrIng MP fortunes obtained with my
thousand dollars was the happiest In
my life. would go TO the city. buy
out lItte shop. lie economical and In.
dustrious. enlarge my business. make
money. Invest II aud In time become n
northumberland. Then would travel
inside instead Of under coaches and
SEE bigger world than ! could see
tramping In America.
IL wouldn't do for one that all the
world could see was a tramp TO Offer
a thousand dollar bin for a railroad
ticket The agent couldn't change II
n he would. So I tramped TO the city.
When ] got there ! thought the first
thing for me 10 do would be TO fix my.
self IN. Going into a mammoth store
where they sold clothing. I asked &c
see suit about my size. The clerk
went away and came back with a
spick and span fellOw-a sort Of floor
walker. reckon-who hemmed and
hawed and said that goods were only
sold there for cash. pulled out my
bill and showed II 20 him. asking II be-
could change II. lie looked at Il
dumfounded and said he'd see. He
went back 10 the Office and-.I slid out.
! could see 10y the look In his eye that
he'd gone 10 call policeman.
What I was suffering from most
about that time was n vacant stomach
I went TO restaurant and took n
seat at a table. None OF the walters
came near me. but presently the pro.
prietor did and asked me II I hadn't
got Into the wrong place. What could
! do-ask him II he'd give me a meal
on q thousand dollar bill? Not much.
! told him had thought the place u
restaurant. hut I reckoned was mis-.
taken: sorry I'D lntruded. And went
out.
Somehow I didn't see where I was
going to legin. Besides. I couldn't I've
an all fred while finding out. for I had
no place but the park TO sleep and not
q crust 20 put IN me. You see.
wasn't used 20 city life. " I tried e |
buy out shop or rent one aud buy
stock Of goods TO put In II the moment
! showed my bill the gentIemanly |
owner would ask me 20 sit down while
be got the change and would telephone
the police. went about trying TO gel
some one 20 give the a meal. but city
servants are not used 10 bcggars. ex
cept those who beg for money. aud
they all shut the door IN my face.
Finally when was nearly starved
struck n little house. where my ring
was answered by n girl about nineteen
years old. That girl was either fool
Dr she was altogether out Of place III
This world. never struck such green
hue even IN the country. She took the
In aud gave me what she had 60 eat.
hen sat down aud talked 30 me. Look
lug all the while out Of her sympa'
Ihetlr eyes nc INC Ia cheer me w. She
must have known that misery loves
company. She told me that she was IN
Owe with young fellow who wasn't
getting along very well and was going
10 lose his position. Her employer
wanted $1,000 In his business and was
going TO take In another clerk With
hat amount and make a partner Of
rim.
/. "is that oil be wuntsr says
Could you git married II your Teller
rad si.OO0g'
'Of course we could"
"weil, $1,000 isn't much. reckon !