Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-08-15

THE OH LIEEk DUsTER.=The old
linen duster moved slowly, almost SOL
emnly. up Broadway this morning, ST.
lently followed by crowd of cuflous
boys. The motive power which pro-
pelIed IL was man, but he was such
an emacIaied and weather. beaten man,
with such a dreamy and carewOrn
expression about his eyes, that he ap.
peared but the mere shadow of man
which The old linen duster had taken
Under ITS wing to cherish and protect.
There were various capacious poek-
cts about the old garment, and sundry
suggestive rents in its tapping tails,
from which dumb mouths, as it moved
along, the old linen duster related its
pathetic story: 81 was introduced to
my old pard here" il seemed TO say,
every early in April, and we've hung
together through all sorts OF weather
ever. since. Keep OF fny tail t;iere. il
you please, young man. Sometimes
people would insinuate that we was
iorcin' the season, but we didn't mind
a few late frosts, KNOWN It would be
warmin' up along in July. Pard was
hale and vigorous enough them days,
and he could rough IL with the best of
'cm, but somehow he didn't hang on
well, and pretty soon | saw he was
losin' his grip. (Don't crowd around
the old tramp, boys; give him breathin'
foom.) He didn't pear TO 'filiate with
other tramps, and may say that ! was
his only and constant companion. Not
but what we got enough TO eat, for the
folks was always clever. and these big
pockets just bulged out all round with
cold victuals, but don't think he was
cut cut for that sort Of life, and the
exposure told on him. Them cold spring
rains struck right in on q teller. and
fnany's the time he pulled me of and
wrung me out like dish-rag. I even
feel Il in my own system, land Id lit
lie rather you boys wouldn't pull at my
tails so; something might give way.)
I've stuck TO him like brother, though,
and saved his reputation time and
again. Oiten when we approached q
town he would haul me Of, wash me
out in running stream, and hang me
ON fence 10 dry. Then he'd pull me
on, button me up tohis chin, and march
through that town saucy as lord
I've saved his bacon, too, often enough.
All these wounds" and the old duster
tapped its tails significantly toward
some rents in Its back, "made at divers
times by dogs, and il they hadn't ap-
peased their wrath on me the old man
would have got il himself. please
sccot that dog on ahead .here, some
body.
"But pard says he failin', and I'm
movin' out Of this town with him fast
as possible. He says to me last night,
confidential like, that if les got to come
20 pa ssin' in his checks he wants a few
wavin' trees and some chirpin birds aud
little green grass around. It'd be
more komeiike, he says, to turn up his
toes in the shade OF hsystack or in
some coy fence corner, but he don't
want no hospital cot nor no work.house
bunk in his'n. No, no, old pard, he
whispered, wen creep along out OF
these hot streets and crowded thor
ougl-fares I'LL we strike the messy lanes
Ggin, and then IL there's any dyin' got
20 be done well dc II right there. But
we won't be parted, old pard. They'll
lay me away In pauper's grave at last,
end my windin' sheet shall be the old
linen duster.'"