A TRAMPS WANDERINGS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1522, 12 March 1886, Page 3

A TRAMPS WANDERINGS.

A park policeman was sauntering along one of tho by-paths in Central Park with a reporter, when he remarked : " We see some strange tramps in this Park. Thr-y come hero from all over the States in the summer, and lie around the benches during the daytime and steal under the trees at night to find some sleeping place. At this seasou they begin to get motion in them, and you more frequently see them walking back and forth along the walks with their hands buried in their pockets, and their heads low down on their breasts. They often remind us of reptiles just awakening from their winter's sleep; but one is stirred into activity by the chill of November airf

and the other by the warmth of spring. They seem to have no object in life except to get as much strong drink as possible. I had an interesting talk with one yesterday. He was a younglooking man, and had apparently seen better days. I asked him the usual question, ' "Where are you going ?' "'Going? Any where, I guess. I'm not particular,' he answered with a half smile.

" ' But bavan't you any home ?' I persisted. " ' Home ? I guess not. Haven't seen one since 72 an' that's a long while, I reckon. I'm what they call a Wandering Jew, I suppose. I've been through the States half a dozen times, down to Mexico twice, and on the continent once. I've slept on the steps of the Centennial building at Philanelphia, in the gallery of the Capitol at Washington, on top of Mount "Washington, in the Yosemite Valley, and in lots of other famous places. Now I've come to sleep in Riverside Park, near Grant's tomb. It will be a cool place 1 suppose, there to-night, but I've slept in cold places before. I marched under Gen. Grant once in Mexic\ He was a ycung mau then, and hadn't won his laurel*, but he was brave and J true as ptfol even then to his poor : friends. I was in my young manhood, j too, and cnuld bo:*Bt of svhat you asked me about just now—a home. But I got on tie downward path, and soon ! hurried from bad to worse. I'm now ' a total wreck, past all redemption, and ju«t able to carry on a weary existence. Everybody despises me, while aU honour the very name of Grant, aud yet I had as good a start in life as he bad. I've ofteu thought of the difference in our two stations now, and then remembered him as he vas in Mexico when we both fought for the same flag. I *as in California when the news of his death reached me. I have been coming to New York ever since. It seems a long while just to travel that distance, don't it ? But then a tramp don't travel like a millionaire. We steal a ride on the first freight train that is going our way, and remain there uutil wc got put iff. Then we stop and beg, or work for something to eat Sumetimes we work for a week at a timo in one place, and then get on a week's spree. This, of course, takes time, and where you would make the journey in a day it would take a week or two. I've been a good while coming from California to New Turk, but now I'm here, and I'm going to sleep near Grant's tomb tonight. I'll be orderly and do no harm." — y. Y. Trihune.