racted sickness,
I was so weak and exhausted that nobody thought I would be able even to
earn my bread. As to easy or intellectual work, I had no earthly chance,
as long as I did not know the English language. Finally Mr. Larson took
me to a ship-owner's office. I still remember that a Norwegian captain
was cruel enough to remark in my hearing, that he did not intend to take
any half-dead corpses along with him to sea.

After two weeks of fruitless efforts to get work for me, my host finally
declared that he could not very well keep me any longer, because his
accommodations were crowded with paying customers; nevertheless, he
allowed me to sleep in the attic free of charge, while I had to procure
my food as best I could, which I also did for another two weeks. Being a
convalescent, I had a ravenous appetite, and, indeed, I found how hard
it is to obtain food without having anything to pay for it. Of the few
articles of clothing which I brought with me from Buffalo, I had to
sacrifice one after another for subsistence. When all other means were
exhausted, I was compelled to go to the kitchen-doors and tell my
desperate and unfortunate condition by signs, and more than one
kind-hearted cook gave me a solid meal.

Tramps! In our day there is a great deal of talk about tramps, and it
has become customary, to brand as a tramp, any poor wandering laborer
who seeks work. There are undoubtedly many who justly deserve this
title; but I think there are tramps who are not to blame for their
deplorable condition, and who deserve encouragement and friendly
assistance, for I have been one of them myself, without any fault or
neglect on my part. It always provokes me to hear a young or
inexperienced person use the expression "tramp" so thoughtlessly, and in
such a sweeping manner. Long ago I made up my mind that no tramp should
ever leave my door without such aid as my resources would allow. It is
better to give to a thousand undeserving, than to let one unfortunate
but deserving suffer.

My good host, like his Buffalo namesake, finally contrived to get rid of
me by representing me as a sailor, and hiring me to the captain of the
bark "Catherine," a coasting vessel bound for Charleston, S. C., telling
me that I was to serve as cabin boy. My wages were to be five dollars a
month, of which he received seven dollars and a-half in advance, so that
I could pay my debts and buy a sailor's suit of clothes.

On the second day of our voyag