Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28
Winner of SIS Prize
By R. F. w. of Detroit

ID OOZE was of those human derelicts commonly
Id known as a tramp. | met up with him in little
country town in Maryland. | tried to sidestep
the inevitable touch forthcoming; but he knew
me for the easy mark was.
But Booze was somehow different. The first thing
he said was Friend, don't want to borrow or beg.
have little money but want a drink. I'm dying for
drink! The barkeepers won't sell tramp: there's
law against it. Now if give you the money, will you
buy me a pint of whiSky?'
Booze got his pint, waiting meanwhile the railroad
track while walked blocks to the saloon.
and returning sneaked it to him. had little spare
time; so | asked my road acquaintance for his
and story expecting the usual tissue of hes.
Booze Sir" he said, "and Booze is my number.
Fill in my years q thirty-ive) with more booze,
and you have the story OF my life to date That am
university man, reared gentleman been married, di
vorced run through nice little shoe business, done
time in JAIL played the gamut of all the vices beside
the point; yet | wish sometimes and then
with bitter SMILE the fancy stung him, what
does it matter what l wish? Who for trarnps
wisheso"
Booze" said, would you like to brace up and take
hold again and be a real, live, enough man? IL
you do I'll see if can help you; but remember you
must play the game fair and square. The odds
against you, and you only hundred to shot
anyway; but you had the stuff In you once and per-
haps some of it is still there. What do you say?"
Booze looked at and then at the flask in his hand
Slowly he pulled the cork and held the bottle upside
down until the last drop was spilled on the ground.
@I1 60 you'll he said.
We walked to the hotel. | sent Booze back to the
stables, then tackled the hotel proprietor.
have sold goods for fifteen years; but to land that
tramp in job was master stroke! The hotel man
had natural antipathy to tramps in general and my
tramp in particular, it seemed. Finally, as last
resource and closing argument | tried the old per-
suader, money. put up ten dollars, ostenSibly as
guaranty of fair dealing but in reality security
bond in my should lift little knickknack
as menento and take French leave The main thing
was that Booze landed job at four dollars week
and found.
An old stable lent him and suit of over
as dug him up pair of sample shoes-and, presto,
a wreck salvaged and bum became mani
Booze wrote to week His third letter
the confession of the soul of who had touched
the lowest depths of despair, still weak, the will and
fiber of him not yet strong but growing Booze chung
to his job, poor as it
l gambled ten dollars, and sent it to him with
suggestion that he buy decent suit of clothes; but
back it came He said he getting along all right:
but if wanted to could send it to the girl who had
trying get together again. but that he not fit to
write to her. Bad he had been and bad he still in
her eyes, at least SO Booze thought.
How little he knew woman's heart | wrote to her.
From little New York town letter, all anxiety
all forgiveness. Booze no longer bad: just way
ward boy her boy the boy who had kissed her and told
her she the most beautiful woman in the world.
He still thought of her. still loved herr She didn't call
him Booze, though she did not know that Knights of
the Road rechristened.