The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-02-06
EETranPS.''

tNo tramps here ~ said l, and L shut
the door in his tace.
The wind blew so hard that l could
scarcely close the door, and the sleet was
beating on the panes, and the bare trees
were groaning and moaning as II they
suffered In the storm.
"No tram ps here,'' [ said; "Im lone
woman, aud afraid of 'em."
Then the man, whom L couldn't see tor
the dark, went away from the door
champ champ went the sound OF hls
footsteps through the slush, and heard
the gate creak aud then, champ champ
came the man back again, aud he knocked
ON the door-kuocked not halt SO loud as
he had before L opened the door, hot
and angry. This time | saw his face; a
pale, ghostly face, with yellom-broQn hair,
cropped close, and great, staring blue
ewes. He put his hand against the door,
and held 1t open.
"How far is it to the next house,
ma'am ?" said he.
Three miles or more" said l.
"And there is no tavern Z"
"No; no drinks tn be got there. It's
Miss Mtten's, and she's as set against
tramps as l am"
81 don't want to drink" said the man,
| "but want food You needn'. be afraid
to let me in, ma 'aM. I've been wounded
in the army, and am no: able to walk tar,
and my clothes ere thin, and it's bitter
cold. I've been trying to get to my pa
rents, at Greenbank, where [ can rest Till
I'm better; aud all my money was stolen
from me three days ago. You needn't be
afraid Just let me lie before tie fire,
and give me a crust to keep me from star
ving-and the Lord will bless you Tor 1t.
And then he looked at me, with his
mild blue eyes, in way shat would have
caused me to relent if l had not seen SO
much Of those imposters. The war was
just over, and every beggar that came
along said lie was soldier, travelling
| homeward, wounded, robbed, and all that
One that had been silly enough to help
! limped away out of sight, as he thought
aud then shouldered his crutches-I was
at the garret window and saw him-and
tramped it with the strongest.
''No doubt your pocket is full of money
now," saio |, "and you only want chance
to roo and murder me. Go away with
you !'
DrusilIa, my neice, was baking cakes IL
the Kitchen. lust then, she came to the
door and motioned with her mouth to me
''Do let him stay, aunty.'
"Go away with you y said |, louder
than before; 81 won't have this any
longer"
He gave kind of g.oan, and took hi'
hand from the latch, and went champ
champ! through the frozen snow again
and l thought him gone, when directly
came the knock at the door once more
this time hardly like knock at ell, 81
faint and tremulous was it.
When [ opened the door, he came quite
in, and stood leaning on his cane, pale a
a ghost, his eyes bigger than ever.
"Well, of all impudence p said |.
He looked at me, and said he, "Madam
[ have a mother at GreenOank. [ wan
to live to see her. | shall not if try t
90 any farther tonight"
"They all want to see their mothers,
said I, and just then it came to my mine
that l hoped my son Charles, who ha'
been a soldier-an officer he had got to be
mind you-wanted to see his, aud woui
soon.
"I have been wounded, as you see,
said he
"Don't 90 a showing me your hurts,
said "they buy 'em, so they told me, [
go begging with now. I read the papers
| tell ye, and I'm pr;ncipled, SOS ou
clergyman, agin giving anything, unles
it's through some we'll organized society
| n,.,,-.- 20 on m;notion And ae ia