Middletown transcript., 1878-05-04
9elett Storp.
RUTHIE'S TRAMP.
BY CARL0TTA PERRY.

He was hungry. That is not an
alarming condition when one is in easy
reach Of a restaurant, or the home ta-
bic. But hungry, cold, and not over
clean, in little Wisconsin settlement,
with not cent in ones pocket is, to
any one butyour professional tramp, an
embarrassing position to be in.
It was in just that position that Tom
Hamilton found himself, one summer
morning, in the year Of our Lord
1877. He, with three or four others,
had been spending a couple of weeks
among the famous trout streams Of
Wisconsin. He had walked incredi-
bic distances had ridden in excruci-
ating wagons over diabolical roads
or no roads at all had made friends
with two noble red men, who served
them as guides in the ways that were
dark to their city-trained eyes, and
whose admiration they won by their
skill in catching the sparkled beauties,
and by their appreciation Of Indian
cookery. Our tourist had found these
companions quite worth cultivating.
They we're learned in all wood and
water craft, and wore solemn, mysteri-
Gus expressions, as though they had
promised nature not to betray any Of
her secrets. They were strong, not
lazier than their white brothers, did
not drink, told the truth, when not too
great an inconvenience. and would
have been fair sort of Christians but
for their heretical views on the subject
of cleanliness, and their firmly-ground-
cd objections to the use Of comb and
brush. At last these pleasure-seekers
separated. They had worked harder,
and endured more in their search for
rest and pleasure, than they had ever
done; but they had had a splendid
time.
Toms vacation had not quite ended,
so he was to remain a little longer.
They tried to persuade him to GO;
but he said:
mo, boys; let me stay as long as |
can with my original mother and my
aboriginal brother; why, there is such
freedom in these solitudes, no conven-
tionalities to fetter me, no pie to haunt
my dreams"
Jim Hunt suggested that mosqui-
tos answered every purpose, but Tom
was in too ecstatie frame of mind to
hear.
But a succession of misfortunes be-
fell Tom. First, John, who had prom
ised faithfully to be his companion for
another week, suddenly changed his
mind.
a red brother had notified him Of
another psrty who wanted a guide,
and he showed his business talent by
performing the work that had the most
money in it. This he denied, how
ever, said he was "much tired" but
as he ate well, and looked capable Of
tearing the very trees up by their roots,
Tom had grave doubts as to his weari-
ness; but he repeated the statement
with a face so solemn, and an accent
so impressive, that Tom believed,
knowing all the time he lied.
The next day he discovered that he
had lost his purse. He had had it out
Of his pocket when he Settled" with
John, though he remembered putting
it back; but 1t was gone.
Then he had lost his own hat one
day in going over the rapids, and had
borrowed one of Jim Hunts. As it
was several sizes too small for him, it
gave the sun great advantage, which
it had improved. His coat was de-
moralized; his boots had lost the shine
that distinguished them on State street.
What few effects he had brought
with him were either in the hands Of
the rest of the party, for they had tax
en- charge Of the luggage, or in the
hands Of his aboriginal brother.
Ali would have been we'll, or endur-
able, but for the loss Of his purse. But
he had learned that the appreciation
ofmoney isa widespread characteristic,
being often in curious ratio to its pos
session, and had no idea there would
be any special exception made in his