The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-10-06
The Aged Tramp.
oil city Derrick.


nurse girl and cook, held brief consul
tation, and concluded that an old man
whose toes stuck rod out of his boots
and the crown of whose summer hat was
held by hinge of straw and tapped up
and down in the wind, disclosing the
fact that the aged wearer was bald, very
bald, must be really worthy, and they
invited him to seat in the kitchen
while his breakfast was being prepared.
The fragrance of the frying-pan revived
the dropping spirits of the aged tramp,
and unlocked his streams of conversation
which the cold charities of the world
had frozen up.
fitting his chair back he said: "The
people of the oil regions appear to get
along right slick. Everywhere / have
been things look comfortable and home
like, and business seems to be crowding
right ahead" With this rs Il starter, the
old man carried the conversation through
State and national politics, religion,
literature, etc. az like my meat well
DONE" he suggested to the cook, who he
observed was preparing to lift his steak
from the stove; "and that reminds me, "
he went on, that the Russians are pur-
suing an under-done, wishy-washy course
on the banks of the Danube"
He frightened the cord that held his
coat together in lieu of buttons, tapped
an ear to upset troublesome fly, and
continued: DOG my cats if it doesn't
make me about half mad at the Gar.
If had command of that army, do you
know what | would do?' and he shut
one eye and glared at the lady of the
house as inquiringly as a catechism.
No one seemed to know. Il would
push right across exclaimed the old
man, striking the sink with his fist, ''and
if wouldn't make them greasy Turks
hunt their holes there's no hereafter.
All it requires is a pontoon bridge and a
little git up and go long Mary Jane"
His breakfast was ready, and thrust
ing his legs under the table with the air
of a man who had just bought the house
and lot and paid the money down, he
harpooned roasted potato and con-
tinued: cold Hopandgofetchit, who
has command Of the Russian Iouaves,
is in the best position IN the world TO
skip right along into Constantinople
and take possession of the courthouse.
| would do it; | swear to gracious |
would do it," and he reached out and
captured hard=boiled egg. Il would
do it so quick it would make their ever
lasting heads swim. Then ] would take
run across the Mediterranean, flop
down on the Suez canal boats, tear up
the tow-path and take possession of the
'mules. Then across the country to the
Gulf of Mexico, | would fly as n hurri-
cane, leaving death and desoation in my
see here, Susan" he said, breaking
short and addressing the nurse girl, " for
the love of heaven, don't hold the baby
with his head down."
The old gent continued to draw in the
victuals like man who hadn't tasted
a bite for six months, and talking in a
way to turn book agent green with
envy. He told the woman what Con-
gress ought to do when it meets, and
finally showed away from the table,
wiped his lips on the cloth and asked if
they had an old pair of pants that wasn't
bagged at the knees. The pants were
hunted up and handed to him by the
lady of the house, who in turn asked if
he would go out into the garden-patch
and kill few potato-bugs for her.
I0tatO-Dugs, ne salu, as nc 8aIneleu
up his hat and passed to the door; po-
tato bugs are something with which |
have had no experience. l don't know
one from a jay bird. But friend of
mine will be along here about noon who
can kill more potato bugs in minute
than you can shake stick at. I'll
leave a chalk mark on the gate-post and
he will call. Ta-ta," and the aged tramp
tipped his hat gayly and was off, his
stomach sticking out in front of him like
a bay window.