The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-03-08
" TRAMP, TRAMP"

A lonely country road, with the night
closing upon it; the sun set and the sky
black, and white streaks where he had
been; the color gone from all the earth,
even from the many tinted naples and
sumacs that an hour before had famed
in their October brilliancy; the air frosty
and fresh-just the night to go bowling
swiftly home in light wagon over a
well graded road, with the prospect # a
bright fire and hot supper at the enu of
the journey.
Mrs. Cuthbert wished that her hus-
band would come "bowling home" as
she lighted the lamp and placed it in the
center of the pretty tea table, SO daintily
set forth with her wedding glass and sill
YER; the supper would not be fit to eat if
he were much later, and Mrs. Cuthbert
was too conscientious housewife not to
feel alarmed at the idea of her good
things being spoiled, but, like the even
tempered little woman she was, she only
put an extra stick on the wood fire crack
ling ON the hearth, and settled down in
her favorite armchair, with her sewing
TO keep her hands busy, while her ears
were ON the alert for her husbands step,
or a cry from the baby up stairs.
those periods that SO often befall Ameri-
can housekeepers, when the "hclp"
has taken it into her head to depart with
out waiting for successor to be ap-
pointed.
The fire snapped and blazed, the clock
ticked on, and all was quiet. But if
Mrs. Cuthbert had CHANGED to look up,
she might have seen face pressed close
nett tba window ,,crly fona
with rough beard and tangled hair, a
broken nose that looked most unprepos-
sessing fattened on the glass, and eyes
that cleaned greedily at the silver on
the table-but she did not, and oil was
quiet.
The clock struck seven, and Mrs.
Cuthbert started, surprised and distress
ed. She forgot about the supper friz-
zling away ta nothing in the oven, and
began to worry about her husband-it
two miles, and she did wish he would
come. -: -. -"
Footsteps on the front porch sent her
fears to the winds, and spirit of mis-
chief took possession of her In their
stead; the door was locked, aud she
would make him wait few minutes to
pay him out for making her wait SO
long.
She bent her head and pretended not
to notice, even when she heard the steps
descend from the porch and tramp over
the grass to the window.
The sash was violently thrown up,
and the ugly face that had been regard
ing her short time before was thrust
into the room, and fierce voice de-
"'''vS; "why don't yer comeRa open the
door for me?"
Mrs. Cuthbert nodded her pretty
head, and without turning roupd an
swercd, saucily:
"No, sir, 1 don't mean to let you in
tonight" =,
The ugly face looked thunderstruck,
then frightened, and finally two grimy
paws clutched the window, shutting it
it with a crash that made the glasses
quiver, and the ugly face was gone.
"Oh, dear now he's angry-I always
do carry my fun too far" cried Mrs.
Cuthbert, springing from her chair and
rushing into the hall.
George! George -
She turned the lock.
'George %
fhe porch was empty, but she caught
sight of dark figure hurrying up the
path to the barn.
"0h, you're not going to hide from
me that way, sir % she called out,
running down the steps and on toward
the barn.
The dark figure was swallowed up in
the great black doorway before she
reached it.
"Oh, you great goose I" she said,
Rding on the threshold, "don't you
Use can find you? YOU had better
Ilrself up at once"
she waited. The dark figure
till closer behind the old car
here was no answer. +.
kaa you, sir ] kaoT every