Litchfield enquirer., 1877-04-19

failed utterly 1! For no sooner did he see me than he instantly gave vent to a howl of delight, and falling on his knees before me, grasped my hand and turned 1 eratorieally te the ladies. ''Oh, but it's himself that has come as a witness to me carakther Oh. but it's himself that lifted me four wakes ago, when was lyin' with 8 mortal wakeness 1 on the say coast and tuk me to his house. Oh, but it's himself that supported me over the fades, and whin the chills and fayer came on me and shivered wid the cold, it was himself, God bless him, as sthripped the coat off his back, and give it me, sayin'; Tax it Dinnis, it's starved with the cowld say air, yell be entoirly. An, but look at him-wiil ye Miss Look at his swate, modest face-ablushin' like your own, Miss. An, look at him, will ye? He'll be denyin' of it in a minit-May the blessin' uv God folly him. Look at him, Miss Ah, but it's swate pair ye'd make 1.-the rascal knew I was married man. ) Ah,s Miss, if ye could see him wroighting day and noight with such an ilfigant hand of his own Che had evidently believed from the gossip of my servants that was professor of chirography) if you could zee him, Miss, as have, ye'd be proud of him." ..
 He stopped, out of breath. I was so completely astounded l could say noth- ing; the tremendous indictment had framed to utter as opened the door van- ished completely. And as the Most Beau tiful Eyes in tine Wur-ruld turned grate- fully to mine-wtA- .
 I still retained enough principle to ask che ladies to withdraw, while I would take upon myself the duty of examining into the case of my friend, the Tramp, and giving him such re- i lief as was required. q did not know until afterward, however, that the rascal had already despoiled their scant purses of $3,5O.) When the door was closed upon them turned upon him. :. You internal rascal!''
 "Ah, Captin, and would ye be refusin' me carrakther and me givin' ye such a one as Oi dld! God save us! but if yed hav' seen the lux that the purity one give ye. We'll, before the chills and faver bruk me spirits entirely, when was 8 1 young man, and maxim me tin dollars a week brick-makin', its meself that wud huv given"
 "I consider" broke in, 4that dollar is fair price for your story, and as I shall have to take it all back and expose you before the next twenty-four hours pass, I think you had better hasten to Milwaukee, New York, or Louisiana" I handed him the dollar. ''Mind, I don't want to see your face again.
 "Ye wunt, Captin:"
 And I did not.
 But it SO chanced that later in the sea- son, when the migratory inhabitants had flown to their hot air registers in Boston r .. ~u:k wao had fingered. It was a certain Bos. esty, self-discipline. statistics, aesthetics, and perfect consciousness of possessing all these virtues, and full recognition of their market value. think he tolerated me as 8 kind of foreigner, gently but firmly waiving all argument on any topic, frequently distrusting my facts, generally my deductions, and always my ideas. In conversation he always appeared to des- cend oply half way down a long moral and intellectual staircase, and always de- livered his conclusions over the balusters.
 I Lad Lee- srnnkino nf my friend, the Tramp, '"There IS but one way UT Sa..s- tug that class of impostors; it is simply to recognize the fact that the law calls him 8 vagrant' and makes hls trade a misde- meanor. Any sentiment on the other side renders you p0rticeps crinaiaiS. l don't know but an action would lie against you for encouraging tramps Now have an efficacious way of dealing with these gen. try" He rose and took double barrell- ed fowling-piece from the chimney. "When a tramp appears on my property I warn him off. If he persists fire on him as would on criminal trespassers."
 "Fire on him?" echoed, in alarm.
 lei he doesn't know that. But he doesn't come back.
 It struck me for the first time that pos sibly many other of my friends argu- ments might be only blank cartridges, and used to frighten off other trespassing intellects.
 "Of course if the Tramp still persisted I would be justified in using shot. Last evening had a visit from one. He was coming over the wall. My shot gun was efficacious; you shovld have see him runI'
 It was useless to argue with so positive mind, and dropped the subject. After breakfast strolled over the downs, my friend promising.to join me as soon as he arranged some household business. It was lovely, peaceful morning, not unlike the day wben first met my friend the Tramp. The hush ofa great benedic- tion lav on land and sea. A few white sails twinkled afar, but sleeplly-one or two large ships were creeping ln lazily- like my friend the Tramp. A voice behind me startled me.
 My host had reioined me. His face. however, looked little troubled.
 "I just now learned something of inn portance, he began; ''it appears that with all my precautions that Tramp has visited my kitchen and the servants have entertained him. Yesterday morning, appears. while was absent he had the audacity to borrow my gun to go duck shooting. At the end of two or three hours he returned with two ducks and-the gum"
 ''That was. at least, honest
 ''Yes-but! That fool of girl says that ! as he handed back the gun he told her it was all right, and that he had loaded it up again to save the master trouble.
 think showed my concern in my face, for he added hastily, ''It vas only duck shot-a few wouldn't hurt himf'
 Nevertheless. we both walked on in si- lence for a moment.
 II thought the gun kicked httle,'' he said at last mnsingly; "but the idea of Hallo! what's this?" He had stopped before the hollow where had first seen my Tramp. It was deserted, but on the mosses there were spots of blood and fragments of an old gown, blood-staIned. as if used for banda ges. I looked at it closely; it was the gown intended for the consumptive wife of my friend, the Tramp
 But my host was already nervously tracking the blood stains that on rock, moss, and boulder were steadily leading toward the sea. When overlook him at last on the shore. he was standing before fiat rock, on which lay bundle I rec- ognized, tied np in handkerchief, and 8 crooked grape vine stick.
 ''He may have come here to wash his wounds-salt is styptic,' said my host, who had recovered his correct precision of statement. 70 Eez said nothing, but looked toward the sea. Whatever secret lay hid in it's breast, it kept it fast. Whatever it's calm eyes had seen that summer night. it gave no