Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-11-04
Saved by a Tramp.
BY PHILENA sQUIB.

sisters-for I suppose there are tramps
of both sexes-however degraded they
may be. Doubtless some are tramps
from choice, becoming such out of pure
laziness, while l have as little doubt
that others are driven to tramping by
continued failure to gain an honest liv-
ing. 1t is with one of this last kind
that my story has to do.
l will tell you how first met him. l
am accustomed to walking more than
most young ladies do; and think l
am none the worse for it. l am quite
sure enjoy myself more-than do those
young ladies who think walk of mile
a feat worth speaking of. Such young
ladies miss great deal of the enjoyment
of life; but it is hard to make them be-
lieve it. 1t does little good to preach
to laziness, you know-and so they 60
their way aud go mine, and indeed.
did take to myself as much dust as
some of them do, under their long skirts,
| am sure l should be as averse to walk
as they are. But enough of that.
1t is quite long walk to the ceme-
terry, where my sister was buried four
years ago. Still it is within the limits
Of the city in which l live, and 1 often
60 there afoot and alone, to visit my
sisters grave. 1t seems as if l were
nearer her there than anywhere else,
and have sometimes sat by her grave
hours at time. Yet have been care
full to neglect no duty that l ought to
| perform at home, on that account. I
am sure love the living none the less
because l love the dead.
Dead No-she is not dead-but
alive, to all the joys that belong to a
pure and sinless life thousand times
enhanced Spirits as sinless as hers
minister to her, and with them she finds
such joy as earth cannot bestow. Dead.
There is no death for such as she-noth-
ing but never ending life and JOY. All
the doubts and skepticism in the world
all the atheistic eloquence that Inger-
soil can command, cannot deprive me of
that belief. In it too can go down
cheerfully, even as my dear sister did,
into the gloomy portals that do but lead
to life !
| went to her grave alone one day
last spring, and spent nearly whole
afternoon in planting flowers and trim
ming the little boarders that were again
starting into life the new life which
seems to me so typical of that which is
to come to every immortal soul. This
work of love kept me till the sun was
low down. Then little startled by a
sudden consciousness of the lateness of
the hour, | hurriedly set out for home.
A cartway leads along by little
brook, around verdant knolls, giving
here and there glimpse of the distant
walled city to which l was hurrying. ]
have often met people in that cartway,
going and coming-people who have
been led that way by errands like mine.
But they have generally been strangers
to me ; and you know, although so many
strangers 60 down to the grave in each
others company, one seldom speaks te
another on the way. But now 1 met q
stranger-who startled me-even though
he did not speak. for time. He was
sitting on steep bank close to which
had to pass. l stopped with sudder
futter of the heart, when l saw him
Tramp! was my sudden thought anc
We looked at each other in silence Will,
L tried to muster courage to pass him
l dare not show fear of him by goin.
back; still L was afraid to pass by th
place where he sat.
His dress and the pinched expression
OF his face, made him look like an oil,
man; and yet I could see that he wa
not old-unless it might be in misery
His clothes were never made for him
could see that. My first look into hi
face showed that he was conscious Q
being despised of men-that he was re
f Jected-an outcast. With all my feal
had feeling of pity for him.
His eyes met mine with leerln
; look, as if he thought would pass hir
, scornfully by. when the fact was l dal
dared not pass him at all. But as
stood there, that look changed his eye
softened even to humidity, and my pit
increased.
8 Yet l must have stood full minut
l without movement, or either of U
!. uttering word and minute unde
such circumstances is long time.
t 81 won't hurt you miss; you needn
be afraid of me" he said at last.
"I-I am" not afraid, I was goin
i to say; but feeling that my confusio
! would belle the words, l did not UTE
y them all. The man mistook the meal
n ing of what l did utter and said,
o 'Of course you are afraid. But T.
e not SO bad as | look; 1 haven't hu
l anybody yet"
- The last words were mournfully u
d tered-so mournfully that my fears RAJ
t idly gave place to the growing pity tn,