The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-07
OUR TRAMP.

dust-begIimmed one evening last June.
Perhaps it was the title OF madam u
prefixed to his petition for something to
eat and chance to sleep on the hay
NOW, which moved Mrs. x to ac-
quiesce somehow against my own
judgment-or it might have been the
weariness visible in his air and speech.
Be this as it may, he was inducted kitch-
onward, with instructions to wipe his
feet carefully, where 1 judge bis per-
formances with knife and fork gave
rise to Bridgets remark the next morn
ing, that he'd breed a famine in any
community inside of a week
What can you do, Jim ?" / asked
OF him the next morning, as, embolden-
ed by a breakfast, he begged for job.
most anything, sir, that's hard
work, " was his answer. "Them as goes
to sea for a livin', gently speakin', can
turn their hands to all Sorts"
"Tbere's the strawberry-bed to be
weeded, John," suggested Mrs. Y,
seemingly interested in the wanderer,
who, barring the loss of two front teeth,
and hair suggestive of brick-dust in it's
hue. was not bad-looking fellow.
I do not assert that Mrs. KS
i
find it more conducive to harmony to
fall in with her suggestions with as
much dignity as possible 80, with an
air OF indifference, l acquiesced, and
Jim proceeded to his task, which, being
accomplished with oelerity and neatness,
my wife conducted him to the flower
garden-the pride of her own heart,
and, as far as keeping the same free
from weeds is concerned, the detestation
Of my own.
: Saint they han'sum, mum ?" said
Jim, kneeling and turning with his
rough forefinger the modest face of an
English daisy outward. "'Minds ME
OF that ere young lady on the verandy
this mornin', as must be your twin.sis-
ter ?"
His reference to a resemblance be.
tween Nellie and herself was not at all
displeasing To Mrs. Y, who is FIVE
years older than her sister, although
she effected incredulity at the double
barreled compliment.
He has rough sense of refinement,
quite uncommon for one in his station
of life," she said to me afterward, by
which knew the leaven of fiattery was
working and when, the next day, she
decided that we had better keep him
till the gardening season was over ct
will save you so much hard work, john"
she remarked, en- parenthese)-I knew
that Jim, our tramp, had found favor in
her eyes.
"Shall you ever go to sea again.
Jim :" asked Mrs. Y, as we'made
family group on the piazza in the cool
OF summers evening, while Jim loiter-
ed near by, picking up the garden-tools,
and whistline softly to himself.
" Yes'm," was the answer, somewhat
constrained withal.
"You must have met with some
strange adventures in your life," said
Nellie, who was just crossing the
threshold of an age when all things are
touched with the glamour of romance
moreover, anything pertaining to the
sea had of late been full of interest to
her--ever since the dashiug Captain
Hanson had made her acquaintance at
Hastings, where she had spent part of
the summer.
I had lately learned, through the me-
dunn of Mrs. X, That Captain Han
son was daily expected to favor Ley
bridge with his presence, ostensibly to
see one of his ships owners-possibly
and probably to renew his acquaintance
with my pretty sister-in-law.
"Well, num-" answered Jim, who I |
have left sitting uneasily on the handle
Of the wheelbarrow, "adventures is
mostly in sea-yarns, as is writ for the
story papers but I've had some con-
siderable hard pulls, what with bein'
wrecked four times-the las time losin' |
of as good chist of clos as a feller |
would want, to say nothin' of bein' in a
open boat 'leyen days-me, the mate an
four men-with never bit or sup the |
blessed time. We was picked up"
continued Jim, "by a blasted-beg |
your pardon, mum, for swearin'-pack-
ct ship, boun' from Liverpool to New
York. OF Beansole was the cap'n-I
mebbe you've heerd of him, sir ?"-
this to me.
"Wasnt it he, asked, as q dim re-
of the name brought to
mind newspaper narration of cruelties
on shipboard, which somehow died out
very suddenly, "who was heavily fined
for brutality toward some of the emil
grant passengers ?"
Wot's fine, that the owners stems
up an pays" said Jim, in scorn. "to
lettin' woman die on deck from the
wet an cold? An why didn't thew
bring up some of his other crueltiesS
shootin' men off in the tops'l ward 1r;-
vim EN- overheard in the Mersev or
breakin' rib or an arm wi an iron he.
ayin'- -pin?"
N