, 1878-08-15
The Tramp-A Sketch from Life.
By l.. p. c., OF VIRGINIA.

1t was rather wild night and l was
spending quiet evening with my friend
B. He is gentleman Of refinement and
culture, and | must say that his Hook
heimer is very long way removed from
Jersey cider and pyroIiguous acid.
Ia the midst Of our conversation we
heard the door-bel ring, and in the pause
that ensued the house girl entered the
study.
"If you PLACE, sir, here's tramp, and
he says he's got no father or mother;
and will you place to help him, sirl"
B. laughed.
"All ri ght give him his supper and
put him to bed"
"What," said I, when the girl had
gone, "do you treat tramps that wayW
"Of course | do" he replied, seeming
10 enjoy my astonishment, II keep bed
on purpose for them"
'But, look here, old fellow" / re-
monstrated. "You are running great
risk, and ought not to encourage these
vagabOnds in such u mannerl Don't
you know that all the papers are crying
out against these scampsa"
"Oh, that's all bosh what people give
to tramps won't impoverish the county.
As for the printers, nearly all of them
have been tramps themselves some time
or the other. I was, can assure you!"
B. lit a cigar in pensive manner, an d
saw story was coming. "I'm not
superslitious," he went on, wrenching at
bis cigar and rather avoiding my eyes,
'but there is one curious thing about
this"
ayes"
"Curious, you know" he continued
looking OF the fire. "It was long time
ago when l was boy-they were not
called tramps then, that's one of the
words brought over by shoddy since the
war"
B. paused here again, and I knew there
was no use trying to wrench it out of
him if he didn't choose to tell it. Pres
emily he went on as if he were recalling
something far away.
"0ften in that time while struggling
ever country roads ir the night in the
midst Of rain and mud--sometimes not
caring whether lived or died-I would
30 long for the sight of lighted window.
Often 1 would feel angry with people, and
! said in my heart many time-many a
time, 'If ever get house l will always
keep light in the window, so that any
poor person dying in the dark may take
courage from the light and knock at ID y
door for comfort and shelter"
"Do you know" said he, turning sud-
denly TO me with flush on his face,
"that when | got house never did it7''
"Hahr
"Never rdid IT," he wen. on with great in
digDstion against himself. ~ don't know
why didn't do it, except because l was
very poor. Ny wife was not strong. I'd
no spare bed. I'd various excuses and
none of them good. This thing fretted
me great deal, and am satisfied now
that the real trouble was that was too
proud OF confouDded science and reason
to do athiag that might seem a conces-
sion of senlimentalism. Meantime con.
tinued poor and the world went against
me like a strong tide.
"One night there came up bad storm
Of wind aud rain in the fail of the year.
/ could hear the rain driving against the
window panes, and the damp chill air
made me draw the curtains and pile on
extra bed clothes. About midnight |
aw'Nc, and listening to the storm, | re,
called just such nights wherein l had
suffered. My broken vow to the poor
came before me like a Nemesis and filled
me With remOrse.
81 could stand it no longer, aud throw.
ing off the cover began to ct up.
"'Why, William, said my wife sud.
denly waking up. WHATS the matter2
"'Mary, | said, its a wild Dight
and there may be people out in it. anI
going to put that lamp 10 The window
II felt her arms &c! around my neck
aud she gave Inc grea hug.
"I threw open the front blinds anG