The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-12-06
A TRAMP.

She was on the front stoop, mending
Farmer Thornley's stockings, when Bax-
ter, the new farm hand, came and sat
down on the rude seat by the door, and
hung his palm-leaf hat upon his knee,
and took his pipe FROM his mouth.
"Do you mind the pipe?" he asked.
Polly looked up in surprise; none OF
the farm-hands had ever consulted her
on the subject before; even Mr.. Thorn
ley himself smoked and smoked with
out a dream of asking her permission |;
that is, whenever Miss Hannah was not
near to reproach him with burning their
substance into smoke. Everybody de-
clared that Miss Hannah was the close
one, but that Mr.. Thornley, himself was
"mighty nigh" They used to tell how
Miss Hannah had gone to the doctors,
once upon time, to have an aching
molar extracted, and how her heart had
failed her when he produced the instru-
ment of torture, till the impatient doc
tor was forced to say, "Come, now, I'll
giUe you a quarter to have it out and
done with, free of charged" and Miss
Hannah plucked up courage and con-
scented, and returned home aquarter the
richer.
mind the pipe" returned polly,
"No; like it better than Mr.. Thorn
ley's:"
"There's a difference in tobacco"
Polly, not being posted in the merits of
the staple, dropped the subject, and the
frogs filled the interval with melodious
pipings.
"What are you thinking about?"
asked Baxter, as she delayed her needle
and meditated.
ct was thinking that Mr.. Thorn
ley's hand would make two of yours.
You weren't cut out for hard labor, Mr..
Baxter"
Z" But hard labor was cut ont for me,
Ell? It's mighty fine night, Miss
Polly. Wouldn't You like to walk
down by the brook and find some
violets?"
Yes; but Miss Hannah may want
me-
Miss Hannah has put on her spec
tacles and gone to borrow Neighbor
Hooker's newspaper, and Thornley, is
stealing smoke in the orchard. It's
as good as play to see him tuck his
pipe into his pocket, at the risk of set
ting himself on fire, whenever he hears
a footstep." And then the two young
people strolled Off to the brook, and
listened TO a whip-poor-will making
pensive music in the edge of the woods,
and watched the evening star push the
flmy clouds aside and step forth.
Young Baxter had been on the
Thornley, farm month or So He
happened one day to knock at the
door and ask for nights lodging; he
had q small bag slung across his shout
der, and sunburned countenance
which quickened Miss Hannahs pulses
a trampl" said she. Good gracious,
Polly, shut the door quick No, no, we
don't take dodgers. Well be murdered
in our beds-and the spoons my grand
father left me! Didn't / tell you to
shut the door, Polly? No, we don't
take folks in; you'll find 'commodation
further down the. road, at Hooker's,
Or" But just then Mr.. Thornley, came
up, cautiously knocked the mud off his
boots, and said,
A tramp, Polly?"
give been tramping some distance,
said the stranger, with frank smile,
and I'd like to put up for the night
somewhere. However, if your family
uncomfortable at the idea, maybe you'd
let me sleep in the haymow?"
The impudence!" cried Miss Han
nah. from within. s"That would be
mighty handy for him to make off with
Lightfoot and the colt, wouldn't it,
now? Where's your wits, Hiram
Why don't you say No. up and
DOWN."
"As to that" drawled Thornley,, a
fellow must sleep somewhere; and then
/ s'pose you wouldn't mind working it
out in the morning, ell? with an eye
TO the main chance. "Tve got some
blowing I'd like to have done right off. "
"Ill drive your pillow for nights
lodging, and thanks" returned Baxter (;
:" or mend your fences, or repair your
clocks I'm not Dove earning all honest
penny"
"Lor', if he's willing to lend hand"
capitulated Miss Hannah, ed give him
the attic chamber and welcome. He
amt near so rough-looking as thought"
she confided to Polly, later. He's got
an honest face and handy fingers, if he
Is forty tramps.'
Baxter showed himself so ready on
the morrow Farmer Thornley, suggested
he should spend another day in his en-
ploy and then the work in hand ran
over into the following day, and, as no
body could finish it so well as Baxter,
he naturally stayed ON and on, till, at the
end of the week, Thornley, admitted,
Maybe you re as good hand as I'd get
II waited till Christmas; perhaps you'd
like steady work for the summer, with
board and wages?"
You wouldn't be likely to do better"
put i'll Hannah, with no recommen-
dation, you see-though / don't say as
you need one"
Thank you. And what do you say?"
he asked, turning to Polly.
4? Wly IL faltered Polly