Middletown transcript., 1878-05-04
II wish you would come here mo

1Om walked Slowly GoWaFus HcI'
II wish you would whistle that pas
sage again, where 1 failed, you remem-
Der. I haven't the music. | tried to
play it from memory" she half ex-
claimed. "And you whistle it with
wonderful accuracy, and wonderful ex-
preston, too"
Tom colored with pleasure, through
the mosquito blotches that adorned his
face.
He raised his hat and said, II will
stand outside, and accompany you; or,
if you will grant me the pleasure, 1
will play it for you"
Miss Ruth lifted her hands with as
tonishment, and replied, 81 have seen
some curious people in my life, but l
don't know as I ever saw a-a-a
tramp who understood opera music.
No! certainly not in this region of the
country"
"Miss Ruth," Tom said, "yon know
the poet says, things are not what
they SEEM 1 am living illustration
of the truth of that statement. I am
not what l seem, but I don't know as
| can prove that to you. However,
such credentials as 1 have lay at your
feet" and Tom solemnly took from his
pocket his two soiled handkerchiefs,
the picture of his cousin Bessie, his
copy Of Tennyson, the two cigars, and
the empty matchbox, and also the
fragment of rhymipg.
my name is Thomas de Quincy
Hamilton. live and practice law in
Chicago, as did my father before me.
I have wandered like a lost sheep for
a day and night in the woods near
here, in consequence of an injudicious
love Of nature, and an unwise reliance
upon the red mans word"
He handed her the copy of Tenny-
son and the picture. She glanced at
the first, saw the name written in it,
laid it down; but when she looked at
the photograph, she cried cut, "Bessie
Granger and with the impulsiveness
of a girl of eighteen carried the picture
to her lips, and gave it kiss, that
made Tom wish himself a small piece
of pasteboard for a moment.
"Why this is the picture of Bessie,
my old roommate at Vassar, and you
must be her cousin Tom, of whom I've
heard her talk by the hour together.
''Your penetration does you credit.
I am that same cousin Tom"
Ruth held out her hands to him,
and said, "To think that I should have
given Bessie's cousin his breakfast on
the back porch, and bid the servants
keep an eye on him; its too comical )"
and they both laughed heartily, which
helped sweep away the last trace of
embarrassment and formality.
When Ruth, ! father, Mr.. Williston,
came home an hour later, he was as
tonished beyond measure, to find his
daughter sitting on the piazza, reading
aloud to demoralized looking youth,
who sat at respectable distance, in an
easy chair. His first thought was that
Ruth had found some one on whom to
experiment in philanthropic way.
She was probably trying to sew good.
seed in very poor ground; but he was
soon disabused of that idea, as their
merry laughter and chat reached his
ears. He was not long in making in
vestigations, which were, as We can
understand, perfectly satisfactory.
Tom told his story; Ruth supple
mented it with an account of her sus-
picions, and Norah's watchfulness.
He said, "Since I am again within
the pale of good society, find the de-
mands Of an 'efete civilization strong
upon me. I can think of nothing that
would go so far to reinstate me in my
own good opinion as bath"
Mr.. Williston escorted him to his
sons room, and placed it, and its be-
longings, including the sons wardrobe,
at Toms disposal.
So the young man, who ate his black
berries and milk on the back porch in
the morning, sat, clothed in his right
mind, at pleasant tea-table that eve
ming, and discussed music, and art, and
fishing with the young lady, who had
feared for the very spoon he ate his
breakfast with. I said Gin his right
mind" I am not quite sure as to that;
but whatever his mental condition was,
he found it a most delightful one; as
he did not stop to analyze it, we will
not.
He accepted Mr.. Williston's invita-
ton to spend a few days with them.
"For truly" said his host, "you are
the most delightful tramp we ever en-
tertained; your going astray has
brought US a great pleasure. I am
here myself partly from one of the
causes you have suffered from, excess
of confidence in mankind. But after
all, we find this very pleasant sum-
mer home"
II had wondered" said Tom, chow
it came about that you should choose
n