The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-02-01
For THE COMET.
The Parable Of toe Tramp AMI the
wealthy Ola Gent.
BY VALENTINE voX.

And it came to pass yesterday morning.
that as wealthy and benevolent old gen
tleman of jackson opened the door of his
dwelling, in order that he might proceed
unto his place of business, he beheld
poor tramp standing upon the steps which
do lie before his house.
And the tramp was exceeding lean and
ill favored His raiment it 'c0S dirty and
tattered and his eyes did have in them the
sad and far away look of a halfNstarvcd
dog.
Aud the old gentleman drew nigh unto
him, and spake unto him saying; "What,
what want We here?"
And the tramp lifted up his voice and
said unto him: "Wilt thou give me
to eat? Even thirteen days have passed
since food hath passed my lips.
And the heart of the I'D gentleman was
moved with compassion unto him even to
the bursting of his suspenders.
And he called his maid-servant and COM
manded her, saying: ''Give thou unto
this poor traveller food wherewith to grease
his lips, and coffee wherewith to render
them clean again. And let him eat his I'LL;
for it is written that it is more blessed to
give than to receive. Rut, sir; bark ye :
Verify the wood-pile lieth nigh and unto It
the ak adjacent, and when thou hast par
taken of thy fill, see to it that ye repay
me even unto the hewing OF wood. what
sayest thou, fellow? Wilt thou do this
thing? Art thou of mind to work
And the tramp lifted up his voice and
spake unto him saying: "Iea, that Will
Ye bet thy socks l will Even rs thou say
est that wilt do. will hew the festive
wood even unto the bllstering OF my hands
| And the jackson man went his way.
And the tramp followed the maid-servant
| unto the dining hall, and safe down and dld
nartake of the food which she set before
him. And he ate heartily even unto seven
loayes of b cad and two baked fowls and
much more beside.
And when he had arisen, he dld basely
take up the silver spoons and forks from the
table thereof, and did stow them away III
his pocket For he meditated not on the
baseness of the act, but smile that @dS
angelic crawled over his face even unto the
back of his neck as he thought OF the lucre
they would fetch, ,,,a1
And he wiped off his chin and Pulle11'
down his vest, aud went out into the wood,
nile aforesaid. And when he had gahed
upon the wood aud had seen that 1t was
tough even unto hickory, his heart failed
him and as he leapt the fence he did Cxclaim;
Obi 4med if I'll chop it y
And ne went his way and was seen nc
more
Now when the evening had come, the
wealthy aud benevolent old gentleman re-
turned home, aud HE'D him straight way unto
the woodpile, that he might feast his eyes
upon the wood which the simplicity of his
heart told him the tramp had cut. Blu
when he had drawn nigh unto it, behold
1t was even as he had left it in the morn
untouched by the hand Of man.
And he ,marveled greatly and was aston
ished.
Aud when he discovered how the TRAMP
bad played him false even unto pulling th'
wool over his eyes, he tore his hair ant
beat his breast, and gave himself mp unto
sore lamentation, crying ont at the top o
his voice: BLASTED if I'll be such gosl
darned fool again.