The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-29


always kept with much care. One Sun
day morning in the early summer she
was mp betimes gathering the lovely
roses and the sweet violets for boquet
to place by the side of her husband on
the breakfast table. AS she stopped she
became aware that shadow had passed
She glanced up and saw man standing
on the sidewalk grasping the railing, and
looking at her almost fiercely. She gave
start, almost a scream, and stepped
back. The figure moved not. It was a
frightful object that stood there. The
hair was course, long and matted, and
covered with greasy straw hat. The
beard was shaggy and unkempt. The
eyes were red and bleared. Patches of
dirt were on the face. The clothes were
ragged and foul, and the hands like
wild beasts claws. But in spite of the
blood-shot eye and the dirt, and the
claws, and the rags, the half fainting
woman knew the hideous being was her
husband.
"Ah, you know me, I see," he said.
''You're well fixed amt you? A fine
house, and a pretty garden. and "a
husband that don't drink. Ha. ha, you
have done better than 1 have"
The wretched woman was about to
rush into the house, but the tramp shook
the ratings savagely, and cried:
''Oh, I'll follow you in. I'll follow
you and let 'em know I'm alive and well.
Look here" he added, as she paused,
':bring me handful of greenbacks and
I'll 60"
She felt in her pocket, but her purse
not being there she turned towards the
house. He seemed to know her object
and said:
''Be quick. I'll wait two minutes;
not more"
In less time than that she was back,
and laid roll of bills on the stone be-
to the house. 4 week after this the
tramp was back again. This time he
came by night and asked at the basement
door for the mistress. Again she had to
give him money. Then she refused to
see him, and he hung around tho spot
for three days, peering into the garden,
and even going close to the lower win
dows and putting his face to the glass to
gaze in. Then he suddenly vanished,
and the woman inside, who had been i'll
dread so many long weary hours, felt a
weight pass from her heart.
When her husband-well, be it so for
this story-came home that evening he
was very grave. After dinner, he and
his wife-let her go for that at present
had a long and secret talk. This is what
he had to tell her:
That afternoon, while in his store,
wretched- looking tramp came in and
forced his way up to the desk.
"You are Mr.. Dash. I believe" said
the tramp, adding without pause for
an answer, ''and I am b."
81 don't see what that has got to do
with me-" said Mr.. Dash, not for the
moment mindful that B. was the name
of the woman he married
"WelI, not much, - the tramp answer
ell, "only you married my wife"
Dash was thunderstruck. The tramp
saw it, and enjoyed it.
TIN not going 10 be troublesome,
the tramp said, ''but l have my rights
Ny wife is my wife still. for the divorce
she got was all sham, and she swore to
a lie when she swore that she did not
know where / was. [ have her letters
written to me within six months of the
time she says she got her divorce"
The face of the man to whom the
tramp was speak ng was white. His
tongue was 50 dry that be could not
speak. His knees were shaking, and
his feet dancing up and down, a thousand
times IN a second.
"Give me some money" said the
tramp. and III go away"
Mr.. Dash lifted his desk, grasped
some notes and handed them to the
tramp. He put them in his pocket and
giided past the clerks and customers
into the open air.
When Mr. Dash told his wife all this,
she told him in return what had happen
ed to herself. Strange enough no plan
was agreed on by which to curb the
wfetched man or get rid of the cause Of
fear. Time and again the tramp called
at Mr.. Dash's Office and received money
He was the same filthy sot, no matter
how much money went into his hands.
He never bought new clothes, or took
pains TO make himself look even clean.
He was never without whiskey except
when he was without money, and never
was without money except when he was
coming out of a long debauch. At
LEM ath however even Mr. Dash's grace
failed, and he spurned the hateful drunk
ard. Then he haunted the house again
up town, but big strong man was
placed On guard with a club and
the tramp could only swear and rave
at distance. He took to another way
uglier, and more dramatic. One Sunday
night when Mrs. Dash was quitting
church, he stepped up and asked her for
money, using threat to show her up on
the spot if she did not give him what he
wished. Her trembling hand sought
her purse, which she thrust ont at him.
At the door of the concert hall. the tramp
watched for her, and always with
dreadful threat upon his lips.
When the grand Methodist reunion took