Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-07-19
The Man at the Door.
BY MARY KILE DALLAS.

| shut the door in his face, | did. The
wind blew so | could hardly do it,
and the sleet was beating on the
panes, and the bare trees were groan-
ing and moaning as if they suffered
in the storm. "No tramps here I'm
a lone woman, and I'm afraid Of 'em."
Then the man | hadn't seen yet
for the dark went away from the
door, champ, champ, champ, through
the slush, and l heard the gate creak,
as our gate always 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 a face, with yellow
brown hair cropped close, and short,
and great staring blue eyes; and he
put his hand against the door and
held it open.
How near is the next house,
ma am (! SAID he.
"Three miles or more" said |.
"And that is not a tavern ?"
"No," said l ;" no drinks to be got
there; its Miss Mitten's, and she's as
set agin tramps as | am"
Il don't want drink" said the
man, though | do want food. You
needn't be afraid to let me in ma fam.
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 until 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 a crust, to keep
me from starving, and the Lord will
bless you for it."
And then he looked at we with his
wild 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
beggar that came along said he was
a soldier, travelling home, and had
been wounded and robbed. One that
| had been fool enough he help, limped
away out of sight, as he thought, and
then, for | was at the garret-window
shouldered his crutches and tramped
it with the strongest.
" No doubt but your pocket is full
of money" l said, land you only
want a chance to rob and murder me.
Go away with you"
DruSiIla that's my niece, was bak.
ing short cakes in the kitchen. Just
then she came to the door and men.
toned with her mouth to me, Do let
him stay, aunty," and if l hadn't had
good sense | might, but | knew better
than a chit of sixteen.
Go away with you," says |, loud
er than before, a wont have this any
longer"
And he gave a kind Of a groan
and took his hand from the latch, anC
went champ, champ, champ, through
the frozen snow again; and | though
him gone, when there he was once
more, hardly with knock at all;
faint touch like child's now.
When | opened the door again h,
came quite in, and stood leaning OF
his cane, pale as ghost, and his eye
bigger than ever.
Well of all impudence." :" said |.
He looked at me, and said he, "Ma
dame, | have a mother at Greenkank
| want to live to see her. | shall no
= if | 90 any further tonight"
"They all want to see their moth
ers," said [ and just then it cam
into my mind that hoped my So
Charlie, who had been a real soldier
= and officer he had come to be, min,
you, wanted to see his mother AM
would soon.
| Il have been wounded, as you see,
: said he.
: "Don't 90 to showing me you
hurts" said |; they buy 'em, S
they tell me,to go begging with now
| read the papers, | tell ye, and II
) principled, and SOS our clergyman
agin giving anything, unless it
, through some well organized society
l Tramps are my abomination. An
r as for keeping you all night, you cal
not expect that of decent folks
! go"
l Drusilla came to the door, and sal
" Let him stay, aunty," with her lip
: again, but | took no notice.
< So he went, and this time did nc
e come back, and | sat down by tn
: fire, and listened to the wind an
: sleet, and felt the warm fire, and smeI
g the baking cakes and the apples stew
e ing, and the tea drawing On the kitcI
b en- stove; and l ought to have bee
e very comfortable, but [ wasn't. Som
: thing seemed tugging away at N
e heart all the time.
i | gave the fire poke and lit al
d other candle to cheer myself up, an
I went to my work-basket to get tt
\ sock I'd been knitting for any Charlie
and as | went to get it l saw som
n thing lying on the floor. | picked
L up. 1t was an old tobacco pouc
F.: ever so much like the one | gay
e Charlie, with fringe around it, an
L written on it with ink, "From G.
to r. H. and inside was a bit {
tobacco and an old pipe, and a lie
y ter, rumpled old letter, and whe
e | spread it out l saw at the top, an
8 dear son."
VI | knew the beggar must have dro
k ped it, and then my heart gave OF
~ h;o tbppo,, oc If If had heen turne