River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-20
OUR TRAMP.

dust begrimmed one evening last June.
Perhaps it was the title of "madam"
prefxed to his petition for something to
eat anu chance to sleep on the haymow,
which moved Mrs " to acquiesce -
somehow against your own Judgment
or it might have been the WEAKNESS visible
in his air and speech. Be this as it may,
he was indicted kitchenward, with in
structions to wipe his feet carefully, where
Judged his performances with the knife
and fork gave rise to Bridgets remark
the next morning, 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, emboldened
by breakfast, he begged for a.iob.
Almost anything, sir, that's hard
work" was his answer. "Them as goes
to sea for livin' gently speakin', can
turn their hands to all sorts"
There's the strawberry bed to be
wee6ed, John," suggested Mrs. x,
seemingly interested in the wanderer, who,
barring the loss Of two front teeth, and
hair suggestive of prick-1ust in its hue,
was not bad looking fellow.
do not assert that Mrs. ks gentle
will is law in our family, but find it
more conducive to harmony to fall in
with her suggestions with as much dig
nifty as possible; SO, with an air of indif
ference, | acquiesced, and JIM proceeded
to his task, which, being accomplished
with CELEBRITY 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 con
cerned, the detestation of my own.
Saint they han sum, mum2' said Jim,
kneeling and turning with his rough
forehnger the modest face of an English
daisy outward. Minds me of that ERE
young lady on the vcrandy this mornin',
as must be your twin sis,er2'
His reference to resemb lance between
Nellie and herself was not at all displeas-
ing to Mrs. x, who is five years old
cr than her sister, although she effected
incredulity at the doubled barreIled COM
pliment.
''He has rough sense of refinement,
quite uncommon for one in his station Of
life" she said to me afterward, by which
knew the leavcn of fattery was work
ing: and when, tie next day, she decid
ca Lildl VIC Ildu OGt tSI hOCp MN LII lbC
gardening was ovel cit will save you so
much hard work, John" she remarked
IN p0rentbese--I knew that Jim, our
tramp, had found favor in her eyes.
"SnaIl you ever 60 to sea again, JIM"
asked Mrs. Y, as we made a family
group on the piazza in the cool of sum-
mer's evening, while i'm loitered near
by, picking up the garden tools, and
whistling softly to himself.
"Yes'm,n was the answer, somewhat
constrained withal
! "You must have met with some strange
adventures in your life," said Nellie, VINO
was lust crossing the threshold of an age
when all things are touched with CLAM
our Of romance; moreover, anything per-
! tanning to the sea had of late been full of
| interest to her-ever since the dashing
| Captain Hanson had made her acquaint-
ance at Hastings, where she had spent
part Of the summer.
| had lately learned through the medi-
UNI of Mrs x, that Captain Hanson
vas daily expected to favor Leybridge
witt. his presence, ostensibIy to see one of
his ships owners possibly and proba-
bly, to renew his acquaintance with my
| pretty SlBteI-l H-iAW.
"Well, num-" answered jim, who |
have left sitting uneaslly on the handle
of the wheelbarrow, adventures is mostly
in sea-yarns, as is writ for the story pa
pers; but I've had some considerable
hard pulls, what with beiu' wrecked
four times-the las time lusln' of as good
chist of clos as Teller would want, to
say nothin' of bein' in open boat 'leven
davs---me, the mate an four men with
never a bit or sup the blessed time. We
was picked up continued Jim, "bv q
blasted-beg your pardon, mum, fol-
swearin'--packet-s boun' from Liver.
pool to New York. OF Beansole Was the
cap'n- mebbe you've heerd of him, sirl'
this TO me
WASN'T it he" | asked, as dim re
membranee of the name brought to mine
newspaper narration of cruelties OF
ship board, which somehow died out very
suddenly, ''who was heavily fined fol
, brutality toward some of the emi2ran
passengers"
, 'Wot's a ine, that the owners steps vi
an paws" said Jim, in scorn, ''to lettin
woman die on deck from the wet an
! eoldl An why didn't they bring up som,
3 of his other crueitles -sno0tln mCn Oh
T in the topsI yard, driyin' EN- overheard
r in the Mersey, or breakin' lIbo or an arm
( wi an iron belaYin' pinl
"Oh, come now, JIM said ], "Yo'
, don't mean that there are men on ship
board to dag who are such brutes as al
I that2 Whv. the law would
E The law = repeated Jim. Laws TO
! cap'n an owners, not for US sailor:
: though they did manage to shove tn
petty officers of the Jack Frost, Jr., int
/ prison, few years ago, arter they kilie
( two or three men aboard on the passag
: though | mind it was said that th
cap'n and mate 'scaped punishment b
r happenin' to both die-sing'lar, WASH
Titus afore the ship was hauled int
f dock
. But such men are the exception. Thei
I are plenty Of kind hearted men who z
/ as captains now-a-dsys," | urged after
: short pause.
; .sEndeed there are - suddenly broke
4 Miss Nellie, with energy. "Char-th,
IS, a captain whom know she said. il