The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-06-18

healthy. even color of pink. Her hair
was so tidy, so shining, her calico gown
and check apron so perfectly neat, that
she seemed somehow as if she was just
new, every way. I did not say anything
at once, for I felt SO dirty and 30 bad the
minute I looked at her.
"Well?' she said, in a cool sort of
voice, edo you want anybody" -
ssI want something to eat," said l
grufly.
ssWe never give to tramps," she an
swered, without any change of tone.
s'I've got to have it!' said I, as GROSSLY
as could.
"We have nothing for you," said she,
quite unmoved.
"Come, hurry up! I've got to have my
dinner, and you'd better get it for me
pretty quick, called out with an oath,
taking out my pistol and handling it as a
threat.
Her eyes grew little darker at that,
and she smiled; she was not scared a
mite; she only said, very quietly
eff man will not work neither should
he eat"
'sThat may be your opinion, miss, but
it isn't mine. The world owes me a Hv-
ing and I'm bound to have it, growled
back.
"How so?" she answered. "What have
you done for the world to put it In your
debit"
I couldn't answer this question; it was
like a blow in the face; so I swore again
and demanded some dinner.
'I shall not give you any" she said,
quite as calmly as ever. eff you were
sick, or feeble, or crippled, helpless in
any way, it would be different; but you
are strong, likely man, and you can
earn your living just as well as can"
I looked at her slight straight figure.
'tDo you work for a living?" asked.
eyes; I have worked ever since 1 was
six years old. 1 was bound out then,
and I worked at whip -braiding. l
haver't any relations-any near ones l
mean; there is nobody to take care OF
me. I have to work, and / am glad
can"
I swore very common oath. calling
on God to punish me if would stand
that, if I were she.
Her face flushed.
'sDon't do that again r. she said. eff
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 forgive you.'.
never was SO taken back.
"Look here,'I said, after a moment,
"don't you think it's outrageous that a
pretty behaved girl like you should be
working for living when there's thous-
ands of women no better than you be
rolling in their carriages?"
"No. God put me here, and them
there God knows best"
"Well, you seem to think God knows
good deal. I claim to know some
things myself; and I believe folks all
have equal rights"
s'Do you ?" she said, $50 do I; some
rights. Rights to get ready to die and to
serve God while we live"
She stepped out of the door and
picked up red leaf from the grass.
'Can you make such leaf as that ?"
she asked, holding it out to me.
Why, I knew I couldn't; and 30 did
she.
"Till you can, I expect you had better
believe God knows more than you do.
I turned and went out into the yard.
I couldn't stand her talk, but could not
get away from it.
I never seemed so mean to myself be-
fore. Here was I, strong healthy, even
skilled workman, tramping about. the
country begging I 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 a God
he must know more than I did or he
couldn't be God ; perhaps had made a
mistake after all.
Jim Lawrence must be rich man be-
cause he had more brains than I, with
the same chances; and who was to blame
about the brains?
I sat down by the little pond there was
near by, and fell to thinking, when all
of sudden 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 An
ME would have said to me like that.
The blood seemed to come to my head.
I tried to be honest inside, and look
things square in the eye. I could not
help seeing how little good had done
myself by leaving work. I used to be a
cleaned up of Sunday, not like this
still water.
couldn't do much that minute, but I
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 civily,
suppose, and by night had got on to
the next station below Ludlow, and see-
ing 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 the barn; it did seem bet
ter than begging.
The next day sold my revolver and
got jacket, and before long got
place on the freight line where I could
work my passage, I knew, for had two
dollars left after buying the jacket.
I found the Iridion Works shut up
still, but I hunted out Mr.. Lawrence.
told him all about it-all but that
girl-and he gave my hand such a
grip!''
my wife's gone too," he said; and
then he sort of choked. Somehow, for
all he was a rich man with great house
and I a poor devil of a tramp, there
seemed to be something we had to-
gether.
I remembered his wife's great sad eyes
and her tired face; money hadn't saved
her after all, and his business kept himto
home; he didn't have hold of her hand
when she died.
We'll ba sork Of o1ooraJ b;o Ibr<of