The Autobiography of a Super-TrampDavies, W. H. (William Henry)
General
The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
Davies, W. H. (William Henry)
Davies, W. H. (William Henry), 1871-1940; Poets, English -- 20th century -- Biography; Tramps -- Biography
What a meeting was there, and what confidences were exchanged. There
was good reason for the Kid not having been seen, for he had been
incarcerated in a jail. He had committed his first and last burglary,
which had not been done with an eye to profit, but out of a mean
spirit of revenge. He had been refused charity at a house and, on
leaving the place, had spied a small outhouse in which he saw many
things easy to carry, and easily to be converted into money. Bearing
this in mind he had returned after dark, scaled the back wall, and was
soon in possession of a large bundle consisting of shirts, frocks,
shoes and various carpenter's tools. All this had been done through a
spirit of revenge, for the Kid swore that he could have begged the
worth of the bundle in half an hour. Being in possession of that
bundle at that strange hour of the night, he was afraid to carry it
into the town for fear that the police would enquire his business, so
he hid it in the bushes, which in the night looked so dark and thick;
after which he had artfully walked some distance away, and laid
himself down to sleep until morning. It must have been daylight for
several hours when the Kid rose hastily and went in quest of his
bundle. But the bundle had disappeared, and the Kid had been cruelly
robbed, by early workmen he at first thought, who had spied the bundle
in the bushes, which appeared so much less heavy by day than by night.
However it was not the early workman who had done this, but a plain
clothes policeman who still hid behind the bushes and, seeing the Kid
searching for his bundle, sprang from concealment, saying--"You are
looking for a bundle, and I am looking for you." Such was the Kid's
story, recited at great pains, for he often rambled in his discourse
to laud himself as a successful beggar who would, on no account,
commit burglary for profit; all of which accounted for his twelve
months' disappearance.
His story was scarcely at an end when who should walk into the camp
but Windy, the talkative Windy, whose tongue had entertained many a
camp with strange and unique experiences. Of course, at his heels was
Pennsylvania Dutch, a faithful friend enough but a poor beggar, who
was no more than a pensioner on Windy's bounty, and acted the part of
a man-servant.
But there was another surprise to follow; for English Harry, who had
been in Pittsburg for some time past, having now walked out of the
city to take a glance at the camp, walked into it at this very time,
and to his astonishment and joy found the place in possession of good
beggars instead of common work seekers, as he had at first feared.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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