The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-27

be encouraged. Shall 1 seat the next
one in the library and put volume
| of Shakespeare before him 2"
| Woman, don't trifie about this mat
ter! 1t is a serious thing. Thousands
of lives are at stake. The day is here
when this tramp problem has got 10
be met They have got to be given
chance to redeem themselves. Some
have sunk SO low that it's no use, but
the great majority can be made honest,
hard-working men again-men whose
labor will add to the wealth of the
country"
Are You going into the tramp-re-
asked as he walked up and down the
room.
81 am" was the answer.
got it all planned?"
Il have, and 1 don't want you stick
ling your nose into 1t, either. / feel
! that I owe something to my fellow
man. 1 want to see him get along and
thrive and take some comfort. If he is
willing to work find work Ior him. IL
he shows the true spirit ther trust him
! and confide in him."
Like the cook did month ago,
when she left tramp at the dinner
table, and he skipped with a box OF
your cigars!"
That's nothing to do with the case!''
shouted Mr.. Bowser. "That tramp saw
that the cook mistrusted him, and in
his humiliation he wanted to get even"
But you went out and looked for
him and said you'd break his internal
neck if you found him. You also set
the police after him."
THAT ends it!'' said the philanthro-
pist with wave of the hand. mot
another word about 1t. You can con-
tiRue to carry around a heart of stone,
and 1 shall DO as my feelings dictate.
When you come to your dying bed
nd oil for h. limo
angel to forgive you, for she won't do
, it'll"
That ended the discussion Mr.. Bow
ser put on his hat and walked out. He
met and conversed with nearly a dozen
men, and each and every one seemed
to be tramp. They called him boss
and good feller," and when he re-
turned home his face wore the smile
always seen on the face of good man.
1t is a smile that tells of the happiness
of the soul, no matter how much the
body may be suffering from torpid
tliver.
The philanthropist was up an hour
before his usual time. He hunted up an
old suit to put on. Mrs. Bowser saw
that he wasn't going to the Office, but
it was noon before she knew where ne
was.
He came to lunch SO full of his
scheme of regeneration that he had to
talk or bust.
We'll, I've got it under way" he
said.
You are redeeming tramps, eh?"
II am. When / was out last even
ing 1 had a talk with a dozen of them.
Each and every one of them was
victim of misfortune and some of
their tales were pitiful to hear. That
is a very true saying, Mrs. Bowser, that
mans inhumanity to man makes
countless thousands mourn
eff you have any money to give out,
Mr.. Bowser, please remember that
need hosiery about as badly as tramps
need rodeening."
81 have given no money as yet.
have rented a vacant lot down the
street and got fourteen tramps to spad-
ing and making garden beds, and
planting. This evening I shall pay
them a dollar apiece. have also
agreed to give them shares in the en-
terprise. No man ever saw men work
better. They realize that it is a
chance to redeem themselves. Indeed,
had to caution them not to overwork.
If 10 other men in this city will follow
my example there won't be a tramp on
a street corner. I believe the idea will
spread half-'round the world
do you expect to be interviewed by
any newspaper menu" asked Mrs.
Bowser.
lone had an interview with me an
hour ago, and there will be others this
afternoon. That makes me think. If
any of them come to the house, you
are to say Notwithstanding whatever.
You might say that you have always
considered a tramp a human hyena,
and been as mean and insulting to him
as you possibly could, but don't go to
taking any credit for what I'm doing.
This is BowSer, and EOwser alone.
Well, I must hurry back to my men"
Mr.. Bowser had bought spades and
shovels and hoes and seeds. He hadn't
int he fra 10 n l.
ness on any 2-cent scale. He reached
the lot to find only one man in sight
and he was a butcher with a grin on
his face.
I'm there" he said. pointing to a
saloon.
What is it?
your too1s'
"But I don't understand
''Tramps pawned 'em for beer! They
told me to tell you that they had given
the matter their most serious consider
ation ard had come to the conclusion
that they didn't want to be uplifted.
They said as how you might try it on
the cold storage men. Is there any
thing else 1 can do for you today?"
There was. Mr.. Bowser grabbed him
by the hair and showed him against a
billboard and then flung him down.
Then he entered the saloon and found
that every implement had been pawn
ed for five drinks of beer all around.
He would have mad a nght ABOUT II,
but the bouncer had him out and
half way across the street before he
could open his mouth. Then a crowd
gathered, and the philanthropist was
asked If he wasn't feeling well. and
what idiot asylum he had escaped
from, and lots of other mean things.
Mr. Bowser was crushed. He bowed
his head and went home. Mrs. Bow
ser met him at the door without
sarcastic smile or a word to hurt, and
led him to the lounge and laid him
down and covered him up, and then
sat by him and smoothed his marble
brow "till he S1ept"-(Copyrigh
Il. I