The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-06-07
A TRAMP'S HISTORY.


His Capabilities, Devices nnd General
Achievements in Life.
He stood in the dusty road for some
time, apparently accommodating, with
view of ascertaining whether the slight
hedge which inclosed Mr.. Jones, place
concealed any lurking bulldog or spring
guns. He was tramp, and having
satisfied himself that there were 10
death OF damage-dealing engines con
cealed in the shrubbery, he opened the
gate and proceeded to the back door, On
which he knocked as one having au-
thority. Mrs. Jones responded.
Ploase'm, could you give Il poor
man who has walked seventy-eight miles
since breakfast something to eat |
amt particular, SO long as it amt cold;
and can't a. bear coffee with more than
two Jumps of sugar in it and too much
cream: 1t makes me bilious. I'll sit
here in the stoop while you're getting
the things ready"
Now Mrs. Jones is very nice little
woman, but she was alone and naturally
lacking in nerve, and presently the tramp
was discussing bountiful repast, while
she, taking up position of strategic
| importance, prepared to fall back upon
the sideboard and defend the spoons, if
necessary. But the peripatetic was not
pugnacious; far from it.
"You don't know" queried the un-
welcome visitor, ashe MUNICH ed dough-
nut, "you don't know of any man
round here who would like to hire a
gentleman to look after his horse or take
care of a garden or act as private secre-
tary, do you p
Mrs. Jones shook her head.
81 should like" remarked the gentle
man, "to find some nice OF man who
would want gentleman to read the pa
pers to him. 1 know all about the war,
1 do. can wrestle with the Turkish
names and throw 'em every time. I'm a
horseshoer by trade, but Lor' bless yer,
what can a man do in these times of
general depression and business stagna-
ton. tell yer I can just sling them
Turkish names; been there myself"
"Have you?" said the unfortunate
woman, beginning to look upon the
tramp as a possibly meritorious traveller
down on his luck, or Russian grand
duke taking a pedestrian tour incog.
Eyes, was in the Crimea. I fit al
through it, AMI was twice mortally
wounded. 'Spose you've heard about
the six hundred? We'll, was one of
EN-. Saved Lord Cardigan's life. Tell
you how twas. When we rode into
the Russian battery fourteen O. the
Cossacks made straight for Cardigan.
Me an' him were great friends; brought
up from childhood together, an when I
seed the Cossacks going for him I went
for them. They was altogether in a
heap. I was lancer, an I run my
lance clean through seven of them;
strung 'em like herrin'. Lord Cardigan,
says to me, says he tom, ye've saved
my life, God bless yer.' He and me
allus called each other Dick and Tom.
Well, yer never see n man so grateful.
He wanted me to marry his oldest
daughter, but l told him was married
already. Get divorce, says he. 'No,
says l, I can't do that. Yer never see
a man so mad rs Cardigan was then. He
thought 1 was slitin him. Fust he
raved, then he wept like child. But
see man coming, and ] may be in the
way" And he lodged round the corne,
of the house and was off just as Jones
and the dog entered it. Jones subse.
quently remarked that you could make
a woman believe most anything.-Bos
ton Trareier.