Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-07-09
" No Tramps."

"No tramps here" said and shut the
door in his face. The wind blew so strong
could hardly do it, and the sleet was beat.
ing on the panes, and the bare trees were
groaning and moaning as if they suffered in
the storm. "No tramps here I'm lone
woman and l am afraid of EN-"
Then the man hadn't seen yet, for the
dark, went away from the door. Champ,
champ, champ, came the man back again
and knocked on the door--knocked not half
so loud as he did beforehand opened it, hot
and angry. This time / saw his face-a
pale ghost of face-with yellow brown
hair, cropped close, with great staring blue
eyes, and he put his hands against the door
and held it open.
How near is the next house, ma am ?" he
asked.
"Three miles or more" said |.
"No," said | "no drinks to be got there
it's Miss Mitten's, and she's as set again
tramps as / am."
al don't want drink" said the man,
"though | do want food. You needn't be
afraid to let me in, ma'am. I've been
wounded, and am not able TO walk far, and
my clothes are thin, and it's bitter cold I've
been trying to get to my parents at Green
bank, where / can rest till I'm better and
all my money was stolen from me three days
ago. You needn't be afraid; let me lie just
before your fire, and only give me crust,
the stalest crust;s to keep me from starving,
and the Lord will bless you for it."
And then he looked at me with his mild
blue eyes in way that would have made
me do it if it hadn't been I'd seen so much
of these impostors. The war was just over,
and every beggar that came along said he
was soldier travelling home, and had been
wounded and robbed. One that had been
fool enough to help limped away out of
sight, as he thought, and then-for was at
the garret window-shouldered his crutches
and tramped with the strongest.
"No doubt your pocket is full of money,
said /, 1" and you only want chance to rob
and murder me. Go away with you"
Drusilla, that's my niece, was baking cakes
in the kitchen. Just then she came to the
door, and motoned with her mouth to me-
ado let him stay, auntie;" and if hadn't
had good sense might, but / knew better
than a chick Of sixteen.
AGO away with you |" said I, louder than
before. 81 won't have this any longer"
Aud he gave kind of groan, and took
his hand from the latch, and went champ,
champ, through the frozen snow again and
thought him gone, when there was once
more, hardly knock at ala faint touch
like child's now.
And when l opened the door again, he
came quite in, aud stood leaning on his cane,
pale as ghost, his eyes bigger than ever.
"Well, of all the impudence !" said |.
He looked at me, and said MADAM,
have mother at Greenbank. l want to live
to see her. shall not if try to go any fur
q Tbey ali war, 10 see thar r,o,bers - ond
;ust tben II came into nv mind that 7 boned
ya, son rbarI;a ,vho ha3 haa,' zoo, sold;or
on otI;oar ba had oon,o 70 ha ,,,;nd ro,,
wantad 10 sss bis and would soon 'N'
al bavs baan wounded as van seo ;,
said he.
Don,t no n showing ma vour brrts +,
said I. . tSev hnv ,em 90 tbey told mo n
90 a beeg;ng with now. read the nane,s @ !.
f,au rsnS H., rr;no;,,iad 81 90 80
| c,erg,,nan ag;n giving anvfh;ng mn,ass ~
tbrongb some veil oraan;1a3 soc;etv Trsmns
ara ~ abnn,;nat;on And 90 ~ taar;I r
',o,, ,;o,i,t ,'or oa,,. ax,a,, ~ hat of So';
foII,s ~" - Neee"'
n,roSs,Ia oaa to tbo door and oa;d al. =,
hin, stan au,',;o " With hsr i,s ao,a;u ,t
toot nonot;oa 'e''
60 ba ,ssnt ard this TINA ba didn't oons
h.cI 7 sat down hv ,be Ere and snolt ths
baI;no aIss and 10 annls stsu;na anJ .nj
tha ;as Sra,r;nn or tho tytrphar s,ona al al
aS, ome S.a :, h E n 'ne ern onmfoah,a M dn hnt
ousus n, W uSsu Snws.h;nn vIT 'Is hn, tmaa;" pus
haart "u ,ho ,;pua Ap' ''ss'As "' my
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o.ndIs 70 nhsar ,nvssIf f' mn ond aant =" ,,'a
vort W. 20 90; aa " a ,hat n. ma y s
Jsrn;nr for ~, Sbar,;a al as ,,aa. - ~,
~ ~, nt ,Ie; anu :" "en. " sc,
r;.i,aJ !, ~, =. H"s Su sne nooi.
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al s,; .ne VI. ons so ona.ho J.
WI MI % Fen r. 'T ~ ap1 WIN mr,i'en Ga !. ~
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Ssard nv I Charl;s,I So;ca o;n % s".ei uaiIao apu
mother y And ont wen, 10 ths donr % aOo