Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-11-05
seletted Mlistrllanp,
ONLY A TRAMP.

A striking contrast On one side of
an iron fence beautiful house and hand
somely laid-out grounds. The grass on
the lawn was like soft, green velvet, and
here and there were patches of scarlet ge-
raniums, stately white lilies, and gay
yerbenas And in the midst of these
bright-hued flowers and carefully trained
shrubs, fountain, guarded by white
marble nymyhs, tossed up sparkling
spray.
And up on gentle rising knoll stood
the house--a fine stone mansion-ap-
pearing both graceful and substantial !;
the home of luxury and refinement.
This within the gate.
Outside man clad in travel-stained
and tattercd garments. His face had
once been handsome, his dark eyes once
shone with clear, steady light, his form
was once borne erectly. But now all
was changed
Intemperance had taken away wife,
children, friends, property and manhood
Feeble, poor and homeless, he wandered
about--onlya tramp" For hours that
day he had Travelled along the dusty
road, the hot sun beating down upon his
head. Tired, hungry and footsore, he
had at last come to what to him seemed
palace beautiful; and so no wonder
that, under the shade of the trees, he
paused to rest.
The bottle in his pocket had been
drained the afternoon before. Fortu-
nately he had come to no place where he
might fill it again, and so, for the time,
reason reigned in the mans mind, and
with it came the old bitter remorse, be-
cause Of bis sin, the old aching sorrow
and shame, because of his degradation
But he strove to drive away the un-
comfortable feelings by muttering at
Providence. And he said, as he looked
at the handsome house and grounds,
"And say God is cruel and unjust to
give scme people so much and me so lit
tie p
Then conscience whispered, "God also
gave thee many things, but thou with
thine own hand, didst cast them away p
The bitter truth cut deep into his
heart, and, laying his hot forehead on
the cool iron railing of the fence, he
wept.
Suddenly little hand was laid on the
bowed bead of the tramp. He hastily
glanced up and saw standing before him
little girl, Birdie Leigh, the only child
Of the gentleman who owned the house
and grounds.
A gentle, refined child, within whose
dark, luminous eyes was sanity look as
if she had, during all the eight years Of
her young life, walked hand in hand
with God. Her little rosy mouth SEEM
ed made for smiles and kisses and loving
words, and the curls that clustered above
the broad white brow were as bright as
the golden sunshine which lay in long
slanting rays of light upon the green
grass. With look of tender sympathy
upon her fair little face she said:
Poor man ! what is the matter?"
The deep wells of the tramp's heart
were touched as if by an angels wing.
A sob choked him so he could not speak.
"Are you tired p the sweet voice then
said.
Was he tired? All yes! Tired of
meeting temptation and having it gain
victory over him. And if glass Of IL
quor were held to his lips, and even
while IN the presence of that sinless child,
and with her innocent eyes upon him, he
would drink it eagerly-so weak was he
this poor tramp!
Come in and rest" said Birdie, open
ing the gate.
The tramp looked down upon his
soiled and ragged garments, and STAN
mered out
Ill amt ft."
BY putting her tiny band in bis great
one, she drew him in and lead him to a
rustic seat amid flowers and trailing vines