The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-10-10
An English Tramp.
All the Year Round.

+ One bright, sunny June day I overlook .
gentleman to whom pace seemed Of no con
sequence whatever. i- sl9 5@"t'# sue sd
T. "aood morning, Sir" said he. a.ti
+ Iresponded accordingly. hst2
son the peg, Sir, like myself 9' eontin.
ned he, quickening his pace. 5as5tH
+ Yes" I replied, mentally, however,
disayowing the ''like myself" / part of the
sentence. si1 al s rsaa asta a.s.s.
"Fine day for walking, Sir ~ he contin.
ned, keep just yard or 30 behind, to which
III assented. 81
"Going far, Sir ?" after pause. ~
"sTo Folkestone," replied. s
$50 am ], Sir. said he. a.a ~ A.
|e I quickened my step little, SO did he
neither of lis spoke for some minutes, until
we approached the well known Maypole
Inn.
"Werry thirsty work this, Sir" said he
looking wistfully at tine snug little hosteiry
outside Of which, on a bench, burly rustics
were quaaing tempting pots Of ale. Per-
/ haps he'll stop here, thought, if give
him pint. SO I turned in, ordered pint
for him and a glass for myself, drank my
glass, paid for both, and turned again into
the sun. bid him " Good morning and q
pleasant journey" congratnlating myself
upon my escape from his company. Ihad
gone but a few yards when I heard "All
right, Sir, I'm comin';;'' and, looking
back. saw my friend wiping his mouth on
his sleeve, and burrying after me as if
were his master and he my valet. I was
evidently going to be saddled by this "old
man of the road" but I tried another
dodge. Pretending that intended to visit
q romantic spot lying off the high road, l
dived down by lane, wishing my compan-
ion second "good morning y and leaving
him on the high road. BY doing this and
reappearing on the road at q point half q
mile further on, I hoped that he woald
abandon his idea Of making me his travel
ing companion, would stop and pursue his
path, at his own pace. In this, however,
was deceived, for, on rejoining the road at
least half an hour later on, I perceived him
calmly seated on milestone as If waiting
for me. A smile of recognition lit up his
ugly face, and he hoped down. again to
drudge along behind me. At .rnid-day !
halted for lunch, He was SO ragged and
weather stained, and looked SO wistfully at
my plate of bread and cold meat, that / had
no heart to keep him any longet at dis
tanoe, SO | ordered portion for HIM. How
that tramp did dispose of The cold mea. asd
the bread and the pickles, not to meutioe
draughts of porter which would have len-
dered me utterly incapable Of further exe,-
ssion' under hot sun! ~9S 9't'' l.' -
. "The best feed, si,, I've had fot many a
day, and God bless you for IL were the
first words he uttered as he brushed away
the last lingering orumb from bis beard.
"Well" said, "you're quite welcome"
and lighting my pipe left the room for
prowl about the premises, as is my MOTTO
wont when at mine inn on a
walking trip. strolled about for some
minutes, Illuminating on the decay Of past
grandeur which still fingered In the vast
outhouses and stahling of the old hostelry,,
aud returned to finish my ale, pay the land.
lord. and resume my journey. Judge Of
my intense rage and modification, when I
found that my knapsaek, which, very ian-
like 40 old traveller, had left on the par
lor table, had been completely emptied Of
It's contents. Instead of them appeared
the remaius of our lunch and dirty wooden
comforter. Similarly, my tramp friend had
and, as had remarked the
WOODEN comforter before as being a promi-
nent feature in his attire, l Immediately at.
rived at the conclusion that he was the per-
petratof Of The outrage. .t Calculating after
ward, | made out that my Autolycus Lad
feeced me of several pints of beer. good
two shillings' worth of bread and meat. not
4 trtle tobacco, and tina coatents Of my
knapsack. More carefully than ever did I
avoid tramps for the future. .g4 a,4a.asx