The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-02
WHOLE NO. 1882

for he did not once offer to enter IN
to conversation. His quiet, self-suf'
fciency began actually to pique heri
which showed that she had come to
recognize him as man and q social
being. Finally she broke cut:
"Are you really q tramp I'm
sure you're not in the least like any |
have ever heard Of"
Certainly I am Q tramp" be re-
piled, grsvely. at may be . matter
of opinion whether l am gentleman
or not. At least, you don't seem in
clined to believe it; but, if tramping
makes a tramp am undoubtedly q
tramp"
"But how can you make up your
miud to such life ?" she cried, i'm
pulsively, - man of education, and,
l am sure, of honorable feelings, like
you"
81 thiuk you do our guild injus-
tice," be replied, with an sir of mild
reprosch. Surely, as physical ex-
ercise the doctors recognize nothing
better than trsmping. That II is IA
yorable to taste and spirituality is
shown oy the fact that bards and
apostles were of old famous tramps- y
"But, excuse me, you know you
have to beg-thst is, you have to ask
people, you know, for food. don'i
you ?" said Miss Livingston.
"You mean we beg our bread ~
be amended. "Yes, and that is the
main argument for the trsmp's way
of life. What title is so clear, SO
sweet, so beyond question. as that by
free charity? He who trades in bis
goods or in his wits, must often feel
himself cheat. always cheat, OF
cheated, and his bread must be sour
and bitter. But the bread that ID
given is as sweet as the unboughi
blessings of God. The old monks
were right He must beg his living,
am sick of heart of this lying sham
of mine and thine. know not, nc
man can know for certain, in the war
of equities, what or how much is
rightly bis and rightly snotber's. l
leave such controversies to others.
/ am tired of this grab etiquette al
the table OF life. / do not ask for a
great portion, but what / dc have i
want to be able to eat with good con-
science, with assurance ,hatit is mine.
To that end / would gladly concede
that everything of right belongs to
others, so that my claim to at least
what they freely give me might be
clear. Often enough, where l get
perplexed over the refinement, and
hopeless obscurity of memn and f,t,rn,
1 half resolve to become a tramp my
self.n
"But / thought you said you were
tramp" said Miss Livingston,
quickly.
why, so l am" replied be. AT
this moment they turned corner oi
the road and the lights Of the hotel
cleaned right ahead. Here i leave
you," said the tramp.
"Oh, no." cried Miss Livingston, al
most lsyins her hand on his sleeve,
"You must come to the hotel and
take some Of these sweet gifts you
talk of from me, although they will
not be gifts indeed, but rather g
scimped payment for q great serv'
ice." and her oice trembled.
Exactly be replied; 81 don't
want anything from you, because il
would he too much like a trade, sc
III just jog along bit and beg my
supper from somebody / haven't bene-
fitted. When people exchange gifts
you know, they lose the favor o
both"
"Do stop q minute" she exclsim
ed, as be turned away. my father
can get you werk, any nice sort yor
would like-as q clerk, or q police
man, or az anything. That would b.
so much better than tramping. in
spite of all you say. Do, please, lei
him."
"I'm too lazy to work, | fear"
"But l can't bear to think tha
after all you have done for me, yor
should be kicked and abused at back
doors as tramps are"
"You are very kind, young lady
replied the tramp. while his voics
trembled either with tears or somt
other emotion, "but you needn't fret
As for the abuse, that is nothing buI
symptom of moral dyspepsis
which well-to-do people get by eating
bread which they are not sure il
rightly theirs: and, as for kicks, |
don't get 'em-I'm too big"
You must let me do something
for you. It's mean not to-" she
cried almost sngrily, her whole gen.
erous little soul boiling over in in
dignan. gratitude.
"Wen, if you put it on that
ground" said the tramp, turning
squarely around to her, there is one
thing would like I'm afraid you'll
think it too much, but it would be &
greater comfort, and stay by me
longer, than anything else can thinl
Off
What is it ?n she demanded, 10 9
tone that was promise.
"It's desirableness occurred to me
when you lay asleep there this after.
noon," pursued the tramp, in bis
grave way. "Will you let me kiss
you ?"
For sole reply Miss Livingston
turned her cheek. The tramp kissed
it, turned, and disappeared with
swift steps in the darkness, and she
went on to the hotel with her feel
iDgs all topsy-turvy.
1t was late that evening when she
entered the hotel parlors. Had she
followed her inclinstions, she would
not have gone at all. Her nerves
were on edge, end she wanted to be
alone. The events of the afternoon
demanded to be thought over alone
and at length. That morning she
had counted on the hop ss Q great
event; tonight it seemed tame. She
knew all the gentlemen who would
be there. They were well enough,
and no doubt she would find them
quite sufficient when in q less excit-