Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1867-08-28
ny MARY KILE DALLAS.

and the sleet was beating on the
panes, and the bare trees were moan
ing and groaning as if they suffered
in the storm. mo tramps here; I'm
a lone woman, and I'm afraid of 'em F"
Then the man | hadn't seen yet for
the dark went away from the door.
champ, champ, through the slush, and
| heard the gate creak, as our gate al
ways does; and then champ, champ
champ, came the man back again, and
he knocked on the door-knocked not
half so loud as he did beforehand ]
opened it hot and angry. This time
| saw his face, pale ghost Of face,
with yellow-brown hair cropped close
and short, and he put his hand agains
the door and held it open.
How near is the next house,
ma am 2"
Three miles or more" said I.
And that is not a tavern 2"
NO" said |, mo drinks to be got
there; it's Miss Mitten's, and she's as
set agin tramps as I am"
Il don't want drink" SAID the man.
Though | do want food. You needn't
be afraid to let me in, ma'am. I've
been wounded, and am not able to
walk far, and my clothes are thin, and
it's bitter cold. I've been trying to
get to my parents at Greenbank,
where [ can rest unIil I'm better; and
all my money was stolen from me
three days ago. You needn't be
afraid; let me just lie before the FIRE,
and only give me crust to keep me
from starving, and the Lord will bless
you for 1t"
And then he looked at me with his
mild, blue eyes in way that would
have made me do it if it hadn't been
I'd seen so much of these impostors.
The war was just over, and every beg
gar that came along said he was sol
der, travelling home, and had been
and robbed. One that | had
been fool enough to help, limpcd away
ont Of my sight, as he thought, and
then, for | was at the garret window,
shouldered his crutches and tramped
it with the strongest
NO doubt your pocket is full of
money" l said, land you only want
chance to rob and murder me. Go
away with you.
Drusilla, that is my niece, was ba-
king short cakes IN the kitchen. Just
then she came to the door and notion
ed with her mouth to me. DO let him
stay, aunty," and if hadn't had good
sense | might, but | knew better than
a chit of sixteen.
Go away with YOU" said l, louder
than before; Il won't have this any
longer"
And he gave kind of groan, and
took his hand from the latch, and
went champ, champ, champ, through
the frozen snow again; and | thought
him gone, when there he was once
more, hardly with a knock at ala
faint touch like a child's now.
When l opened the door again he
came quite in and stood leaning on
his cane, pale as a ghost, and his eyes
bigger than ever.
"Well, of all impudence !" said 1.
He looked at me, and said he, :. Mad
anne, have mother at Greenbank. |
want TO live to see her l shall not
# | SO any further tonight"
They all want to see their moth
ers," said |; and just then 1t came into
NY mind that | hoped my son Charlie,
who had been a real soldier, an officer
ne had come to be, mind you, wanted
to see his mother, and would soon.
I have been wounded, as you see"
said he.
Don't go to showing me your hurts
said l, ''they buy EN-, so they told me.
70 60 a-begging with now. read the
papers, | tell ye, and I'm principled,
md SOS our clergyman, agin giving
unless it is through some
we'll organized society Tramps are
ny abomination And as for keep
ng you all night, you cannot expect
hat of decent folks-go :"
DIuSilla came to the door, aud said,
Let him stay, aunty," with her lips
again. but | took no notice.
So he went, and this time did not
,ome back, and l sat down By the fire,
md listened to the wind and the sleet,
and felt the warm fire, and smelt the
,aking cakes and the apples stewing.
md the tea drawing on the kitchen
tove: and 7 ought to have Been com
but | wasn't. Something
eemed tugging at my heart all the
ime