Tramping on Life: An Autobiographical NarrativeKemp, Harry
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Tramping on Life: An Autobiographical Narrative
Kemp, Harry
Kemp, Harry, 1883-1960
"Good-bye," he was bidding me, extending a tiny hand, the back of it
covered with steel-coloured hairs, "you'd better go back up to
Jersey--just heard your daddy is very sick there ... he might need your
help."
I thought cautiously. Evidently he knew nothing of my father's having
been sent home by his lodge. I affected to be perturbed....
"In that case--could you--advance me my fare to Haberford?"
I'd wangle a _few_ dollars out of him.
My grandfather's answer was a silent, granite smile.
"--just want to see what you can cajole out of the old man, eh? No,
Johnnie--I'll leave you to make your way back in the same way you've
made your way to Washington ... from all accounts railroad fare is the
least of your troubles."
My whole hatred of him, so carefully concealed while I thought there was
some hopes of putting through my educational scheme, now broke out--
"_You"_--I began, cursing....
"I knew that's the way you felt all along ... better run along now, or
I'll say I don't know you, and have you taken up for soliciting alms."
* * * * *
Before nightfall I was well on my way to Philadelphia. For a while I
resigned myself to the life of a tramp. I hooked up with another gang of
hoboes, in the outskirts of that city, and taught them the plan of the
ex-cook that we'd crowned king down in Texas....
I kept myself in reading matter by filching the complete works of
Sterne (in one volume) and the poetry of Milton--from an outside stand
of a second hand book store....
* * * * *
--left that gang, and started forth alone again. I became a walking bum,
if a few miles a day constitutes taking that appellation. I walked ahead
a few miles, then sat down and studied my Milton, or dug deep into
_Tristram Shandy_. Hungry, I went up to farmhouse or backdoor of city
dwelling, and asked for food....
* * * * *
I found myself in the outskirts of Newark again.
I took my Sterne and Milton to Breasted's, hoping to trade them for
other books. I stood before the outside books, on the stand, hesitating.
I was, for the moment, ashamed to show myself to "the perfesser,"
because of the raggedness that I had fallen into.
While I was hesitating, a voice at my elbow--
"Any books I can show you?--any special book you're looking for?"
The voice was the voice of the tradesman, warning off the man unlikely
to buy--but it was the familiar voice of my friend, "the perfesser,"
just the same. I turned and smiled into his face, happy in greeting him,
losing the trepidation my rags gave me.
"Why, Johnnie Gregory!" he shook my hand warmly as if I were a prince. I
was enchanted.
"I want to exchange two books if I can--for others!"
"Come right into the back. Breasted, the boss, is out for the day....
I'm having my lunch sent in, won't you have some with me?"
He acted just as if he hadn't noticed my dilapidation.
I said I'd gladly share his lunch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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