The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-19
OUR TRAMP.

Our tramp came to us foot sore and
dust begrimmed one evening last June.
Perhaps it was the title of madam
prefxed to his petition for something to
eat and a chance to sleep on the haymow,
which moved Mrs X to acquiesce-.
somehow against your own Judgment
or itmight 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
I judged his performances with the knife
and fork. gave rise to Bridget's remark
the next morning, that he'd breed
famine in any community inside of a
week! -., 49,. -.
"What can you do, Jim?" I asked of
him the next morning, as, embroidered
by a breakfast, he begged for a JOB.
"A'mosr anything, sir, that's. hard
work." was his answer. Chem as goes
to sea for a livin' gently speakin', can
turn their hands to all sorts"
! "There's the. straw berry bed to be
weeaed, John,'' suggested Mrs. *,
seemingly interested in the wanderer. who,
barring the loss Of two front teeth, and
hair suggestive of brick-'1ust in its hue,
| Wcso AOG q Udu lOOh1uS5 lSllOW. G.
I 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 all air of indif-
ference, l 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.
"Ain't they han sum, mum?' said Jim,
kneeling and turning with his rough
foretinger 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 sister?'
His reference to resemblance between
Nellie and herself was not at all dispIeas-
ing to Mrs. X, who is five years old.
er than her sister, although she effected
incredulity at the doubled -barrelled com.
pliment.
''He has a rough sense of refinement.
quite uncommon for one in his station of
life," she said to me afterward, by which
| knew the leaven Of f1attery was work
ing; and when, the next day, she decid-
ed that we had better keep him till the
gardening was over-"It will save YOU so
much hard work, John,' she remarked
en- parenthes6-I knew that Jim, our
tramp, had found favor in her eyes. +
'Shall you ever go to sea again, Jim2'
asked Mrs. X, as we made family
group on the piazza in the cool of SIM
mer's evening, while Jim loitered near
by, picking up the garden tools, and
whistling softly to himself. e.. rs 4
"Yes'm," was the answer, somewhat
constrained withal. r. . sE;.
"You must have met with some strange
adventures in your life," said Nellie, VINO
was just 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 dashine
Captain Hanson had made her acauaint.
ance at Hastings, where she had spent
part of the summer.
had lately learned through the medi.
UNI of Mrs. x, that Captain Hanson
was daily expected to favor Leybridge
with his presence, ostensibly to see one Of
his ships owners---possibly and proba
bly, to renew his acquaintance with nv
pretty sister-in-]aw.
"Well, num-" answered Jim, who I
have left sitting uneasily on the handle
of the wheelbarrow, adventures is mostly
in ea-yarns, as is writ for the story pa
pers; but I've had some considerable
hard pulls, what with bein' wrecked
four. times-the las time losln' Of as good
chist of clos as Teller would want. to
say nothin' Of bein' in open boat 'leven
days-me, the mate an four men with
never a bit or sup the blessed time. We
was picked up" continued Jim, "bv
blasted-beg your pardon, mum, for
swearin'-packet-ship, boun' from Liver
} pool to New York. or Beansole was the