Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-05-19
VOL. 75.-3S4O. NO. 80.

would be different; but you are strong
likely man, and you can earn your living
just as well as | can"
looked at her slight straight figure
"Do you work for living 2" / asked.
Yes; have worked ever since was six
years old. / was bound out then, and
worked at whip-braiding. haven't any re-
lations-any near ones, mean there is no.
body 10 take care of me. / have TO work,
and am glad can"
swore very common oath, calling on
God to punish me if would stand that IL l
were She
Her face flushed.
"Don't do that again |" she said. "If you
want TO be lost, call upon Satan; he hears
such requests gladly. God is your Father;
he does not like to punish you even if you
ask him to; he'd ever so much rather for
give you"
/ never was 30 taken abaok.
"Look here,' / said after a moment,
don't you think it's outrageous that a
pretty-behaved girl like you should be work
| ing for living when there's thousands of
women no better than you be rolling in their
carriages ?"
"No. God put me here and them there.
| He knows best"
"Well, you seem to think God knows a
| good deal. / claim 10 know some things
myself; and I believe folks all have equal
rights"
"Do you 2" she said, $50 do I; some
rights. Rights to get ready to die and to
serve God while we i've"
She stepped out of the door and picked up
a red leaf from the grass.
| "Gan you make such leaf as that 2" she
asked, holding it out to me.
| Why, | knew | couldn't; and so did she.
"Till you can, / expect you had better be-
lieve God knows more than you do"
turned and went out into the yard. |
couldn't stand her talk, but could not get
away from it.
| never seemed 80 mean TO myself before.
Here was |, strong, healthy, even a skilled
workman, tralnping about the country beg.
gng | never had called it begging before,
but | knew now what it was, for | seemed
to look out of her eyes,
About God well, if there was God he
must know more than did or he couldn't
be God; perhaps had made mistake af.
ter all.
Jim Lawrence must be a rich man be-
cause he had more brains than /, with the
same chances and who was TO blame about
the brains ?
sat down by little pond there was near
by and fell to thinking when all of a sud-
den | looked down into the water and saw
a tramp big, dirty, ragged tramp.
Good Lord it was me
wondered that the girl had spoken to
me at all, and then thought what Annie
would have said to see me like that.
The blood seemed to come to my head. |
tried to be honest inside, and look things
square in the eye. | could not help seeing
how little good had done myself by leav.
ing work. used to be good-looking sort
of fellow when was cleaned up of Sun.
day, not like this great brute staring up at
me out of still water.
couldn't do much that minute, but l
could wash my face, and did.
1t was Just beginning, you see then |
| got up on my feet and tramped off toward
Ludlow. An old woman mile further on
! gave me some bread and milk, because
asked for it civilly, suppose, and by night
had got on to the station next below Lud-
, low, and seeing some hands at work loading
; up freight car put in and helped. One
, of them gave me my supper for that, and let
, me sleep in barn; it did seem better than
begging.
! The next day sold my revolver and got
E jacket, and before long got place on the
' back to the city could get lodging there
; ing the jacket.
E found the Iridion works shut up still,
E but hunted out Mr.. Lawrence. 1 told him
all about it-all but that girl-and he gave
| my hand such gripl
/ "My wife's gone, too" he said and then
he sort of choked. Somehow, for all he WAS
4 | a rich man with great house and poor
i devil of a tramp, there seemed to be some
s thing we had together.
remembered his wifes great sad eyes,
J. and her tired face money hadn't saved her
v after all, and his business kept him to home
i. he didn't have hold of her hand when she
e died
i Well, he sort of cleared his throat then,
t and he said
n "lm just going to dinner, Reed come
e around to my office on Front street in the
v morning and I'll find you job" And he
|, said it so hearty like knew he meant it.
| He was as good as his word. got work
!. from him right off, and after awhile, when
t | could buy decent clothes, took to going
p to meeting; for l could not get what that
Z girl said, when | swore, out of my head.
' have got a d BILE, too. | know Annie
! would like that but | had to shut it up
e quick one day when it opened at a sentence
about the horrible pit and the miry clay"
a had been there myself, you see.
a Sometime when l have laid up little
t money-and | guess it won't be long first,
e for when all is said and done never was
. one to drink nor yet to gamble-I mean to
' up to Vermont and find that girl, and then
I maybe can have home hope she won t
E know me again. hate to hide anything
4 from her clean, clear eyes but don't see
: how ever can tell her that was that
' tramp.-Christidn Union.