A TRAMPS DIARY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2629, 18 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TRAMPS DIARY.

In the pocket of a man convicted of larceny in the Tynesido Police Court, a diary has been discovered which contains a minute record of the owner's experiences. After describing how on one night he slept on the sands, and on

another contrived to hide and find a night's lodging in a pew in a church, the diarist notes day by day his attempts t;. get casual employment, with varying success, at the docks and elsewhere. On one occasion he appears to have had the good fortune to be engaged by some engineers aboard ship for several days, for which he received 15s. With part of this he purchased a cap, a scarf, and a pair of shoes at a cobbler's. The diarist then continues as follows : —Tuesday, 7 a.m., oft' to the docks miry more ; if I could only get another berth like that, but I don't; speut lOd for grub, and 9d for bed. Wednesday, same old round and nothing to do ; spent Sd on tuck, and 9d bed. Thursday, do., &c.; expended Is yd. Friday, do., Is sd. Saturday, things look blue; Is. Sunday, bed till ]2a.ir,., got nothing to eat. Bible-class at 2.30 ; church at 6.50; bed at 9.30 ; beastly hungry ; what a lot of money beds cost—my last Dd—loft with a halfpenny. Monday, G a.m., halfpenny pot of coffee, and off to the docks ; I feel famishing ; get some shipbiscuit on board one of the boats, and that's all for two days ; walk about all night. Tuesday, 8 a.m., chop sticks foi a woman until 12, and get 3d for it—• moan old screw—bought some breakfast ; no more till 8 p.m. ; carry a portmanteau, and get a bob ; trust the men ; clover that night. Wednesday, 7 a.m., went to the dock hopeless; to station, carry two loads, Is (id; grub, Sd ; bed, 9d. Thursday, 6 a.m., up to dock ; no work ; got a meal oil board one of the boats at 9 o'clock ; got some biscuits at three o'clock ; no more grub ; no more work; no bed to-night; no breakfast in the morning. I'in dreading Sunday. Friday, 2.30 a.m., crossed in the ferry, and knocked about the quay till seven o'clock; then went into the S H 'office; then up to dock ; just as bad here, not even a biscuit to be had. I suppose if they knew how bad I wanted it they might give me cue, but they don't; think they can't surely know, or they would not refuse me. How shall I get

this week-end over? I'll not go to the workhouse, if I starve in the street, and I don't know of a single friend to tarn to. I wish to God I was dead, and it was all finished with me. I'm sick of the fii>lit. Honesty, charity, love of fellow-men! Why don't they preach a substantial, bodily sermon to poor'devils likens? And I suppose I'll have to go and put in another Sunday in church fur the sake of a scat, and to get warm. I feel as if I could bite the throat out of some of the fat, greasy, self-satisfied looking brutes, as they 101 l in and out of church. Last Sunday when they went sailing past me, and I thought of all the good tilings they would have, I hated them, every one. Surely some of them might have seen how hungry I was. I felt faint and sick enough, if I didn't look it. Perhaps I glowered over hard at them when tli cy did look. However, I got over it, and I suppose I'll get over this ; doesn't much matter if I don't, nobody seems to care much what I do or where I go. If I only bad my life over again from the time father died, how differently I would have done, for only one of my lost chances, my wasted opportunities. But what's the use ! I guess I'll have to drive through this and worse before I'm out of the rotten hole .