The Red Cloud chief., 1879-11-06
An English Tramp.

One bright. SUNNY June day I over
took a gentleman to whom pac. seemed
ONO -conseauenceL HhateSeS-.l:0o1
morning, SIR" said he. I responded
accordingly. "On the peg. sir, like my
~elf?'' con,isuesifs- q~uickening hi, pace.
{" Yes" ! replied. mentally. however.
ti.a,owiny the like myself" part of
the sentence. Fine day for walking.
sir!" bc continued, keeping just a yard
or 50 behind. Ia which ! a-scnted. go
ing far, sir?" after n pause. ''To folke-
stone" ! replied. 80 am l.. sir," -aid
he. / quickcned my step "A little, - did
he. neither of u- spoke for some min
utes, uuiil W approached the well
known Maypole Inn. MERRY Thirsty
work this. sir" said hc booking w~i-ifully
a, the snug little h~o-telry, outside If
which, on a bench, burly ristic- wsrc
quafling tempting pots # ale. Perhaps
he'll stop here. I thought, II | give him
a pint. 30 | turned in, ordered a pint
for him and "A glass for myself. drank
my glass, paid for both. and turned out
again into the sun. | bid him GOOD
morning and a pleasant Journey con
Gliahihttb- III al bi'h III tN'aD' iA'hh
hi- company. | had gone bu, a few
yards when | heard: ..All right, sir,
I'm a-comin':" and, hooking back, saw
my friend wiping his mouth on hi,
sleeve, and hurrying after me a, If |
were hi, master and he my
valet. Wa evidently going Ia be- sad
died 10y this ..old man of the road
but ! tried another dodge. Pretending
that | intended To visit a romantic spot
living off tRe high road. | diyed down a
by-lane, wishing my companion a sec
ond good morning." and leaving him
ON the high road. BY doing this, and
reappearing ON the road AT a point half
a mile further on, ! hoped that he would
abandon his idea of making me his trav-
cling companion, would stop and pursue
his path AT his W pace. In this. how
ever, | Was deceived, for, ON rcjoining
the road at least half an hour later on, |
perceived him calmly seated on "A mile
stone a. If waiting for me. \ smile If
recognition lii up his ugly face, and he
hoped down, again la trudge along be-
hind me. At midday | halted for
lunch. Into the inn with me came Iny
''it l'itl'i- Nv WIS :" td--'i aii'
wcather-siaincd. and looked ~ wi>tfully
at my plate of bread and cold meat that
| had no heart Ia keep him any longer
At a distance. 81 | ordered a portion for
him. How that tramp did dispose Of
the cold beef and the bread and the
pickles, no Ia mention draughts Of por-
ter which would have rendered me ut
terly incapable Of further excrtion I'M
der a hot sun, 1.-The best feed. sir. I've
had for many a day, and God bles, You
for it," were the first words he uttered a.
ne brushed away the last lingering crumb
from his beard. WELL" said,
you're quite welcome and lighting
my pipe left the room for a prowl about
the premises, ~ il my no~t-to-be-con-
strained wont when at mine inn on u
walking trip. | >trollcd about for some
minutes, Illuminating on the decay Of
past grandeur which still fingered in the
vast outhouscs and stabling of the old
h"Stclry, and returned Ia finish my ale,
pay the landlord, and resume my jour
ncy. Judge Of my intense rage AMI
modification, when | found that my
knapsack, which, very unlike an old
traveller, | had left on the parlor table,
had been completely empticd Of its on
tents. Instead of them appeared the
remains of our lunch and Il dirty WOODEN
comforter. Similarly, my tramp friend
had disappeared, and, Is | had re-
marked the WOODEN comforter before aS
being Il prominent feature in his attire,
| Immediately arrived ut the conclusion
that he WAS the pcrpetrator IF the out
rage. Calculating aftcrward, ! made
ont that my .iutoiycus had ilecccd me Of
several pints Of beer, Il good two Shil-
ling> worth Of bread and meat, not Il
little tobacco, and the contents Of nv
knapSack. More carefully than ever
did | avoid trampS for the future.-M
HE I,ur RDHnd.