Daily Republican., 1880-01-02
FROM THE DOOR.

$40 tramps here" sad ], tniI, shut
the door In mis- face, did. The vino
blew so / could hardly do 1t, and the
sleet was beating on the panes, and the
bare trees were grooming and moaning
aa n they suffered In the storm. No
tramps here. Pm a lone woman and
I'm 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 at the door
knocked not half so loud as he did be-
fore--and | opened it, hot and angry.
This time time saw his face-a pale
ghost Of q face--with yellow-brown
hair cropped close, and great. staring
blue eyes, and he put his hand against
the door and held it open. .
'How near Is the next house, ma'ams
said he.
"Thres miles or more" said /; mo
drinks to be got there; II 10 Miss Nit
tens. and she's as set agin tramps as !
ar.l."
~ don't want drink" said the man,
"though do want food. You needn't
he afraid to let me In, ma'am, I've
been wounded, and am not able to walk
far, and my clothes are thin, and Tvs
bitter cold. I've been trying to get Ia
nv parents at Green bank, where can
rest till Pm better; all my money was
stolen from me three days ago. You
needn't be- afraid; let me lie just be-
fore the are, and only give me crust,
the stalest crust, to keep me from starv
ing. and the Lord will bless you for 1t. u
And then he looked at me with MI
mild blue eyes in Q way that would
have made me do II II It hadn't beer
I'd seen 80 much Of these impostors.-
The war was just over, and every beg
gar that came along said he was o sol
der and travelling home, and had beer
wounded and robbed. One that l hac
been foolish enough to help limpec
away out Of sight, as he thought. anc
then--for was at the garnet window.
shouldersd his crutches and trampet
with the strongest.
"No doubt your pockets are full o
money" said |, land you only want
chance TO rob and murder me. de
away with you"
Drusilla, that's my niece, was bak
ing cakes in the kitchen. Just ther
aha came 10 the door and motioned with
her mouth to me, "Do let him stay
auntie," and II hadn't had good sense
| might, but knew better than chicf
Of sixteen.
go away with You ~ says ], louder
than before. ~ won't have this any
longer"
And he gave kind OF a groan, anc
took his hand from the latch, and wen
champ, champ, through the frOze'
snow again; and thought him gone
when there he was once more, hardl!
with a knock at ALA faint touch, lik'
child's now.
And when opened again he cam
quite in, and stood leaning on his cane
pale as q ghost, his eyes bigger thai
ever.
"Well, Of all impudence!" said |.
He looked at me and said: MADAM
| have a mother at Greenbaok. wan
to live to SEQ her. shall not If try
to 20 any further tonight"
HThey all want to see their mothers,
and lust then it came to my mind
hoped that my son Charlie who haC
been real soldier, an officer he hac
come to be, mind you, wanted to se'
his, and would soon.
"Ihave been wounded, as you see,
said he
"Don't 90 showing me your hurts,
said /; "they buy 'em, so they tolc
me, to go a begging with now. reac
the papers, / tell you, and Pm princi
pied, and SO is our clergyman, agiI
giving anything unless it's through
some we'll organized society. Tramp'
are my abomination. And as to keep
ing you all night, you can't expect tina
Of decent folks-goH
Drusilla came to the door and said
"Let him stay, suntie," with her lip
again, but took no notice.
So he went, and this time he did no
come back, and sat down by the fire
smelt the baking cakes and the apple
stewing, and the tea drawing on tn
kitchen stove, and ought to have beel
comfortable, but wasn't. Something
seemed tuggins at my heart all tn
time.
gave the FIRE poke and lit anothe
candle to cheer myself up, and | wen
to the work basket to get sock ! ha'
been knitting for my Charlie, and as
went to get it saw something lying OF
the floor. picked it up. 1t was al
old tobacco pouch, ever so much lik'
the one gave Charley with the firing
around it, and written on 1t in ink
"From C. +. to r. H." and on the in
side was a bit Of tobacco, and an ole
pipe, and a letter, q rumpled old letter
and when spread it out | saw on thu
top, "My dear son.
/ knew the beggar must have drop
ped it, and my hesrt gave one light
hump, as though it had been turned
into hammer.
Perhaps the story was true and ht
had a mother. Ishivered all over, and
the fire and candles and the nice com
Portable smells might as well have
not been at all. / was cold and
wretehed.
And over and over again | had Il
say to myself what | had heard oul
pastor gay often: "Never give any
thing to chance beggars, my deal
friends; always bestow your aims or
worthy persons, through well'organ
lied societies." before l could get BIZ
Of comfort. And what al old fool wal
to cry, thought, when ] found my
cheeks wet.
But did mot cry long, for as lsa
| nrL ttnnla osY,x