The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-04-08
Annie! Annie!''


| BY JCLIA N NAIR WRIGHT.
Two or three years ago, in tn,
month Of September, having left tht
tea table, 1 went out upon the We
randa. Presently = member of the
genus tramp entered the carriage
gate and came up the drive to the
house. He was more tidy and de
cent in appearance than most
tramps, and having reached the
steps, asked civiIly for something
to eat. AS / procured with appa
rent readiness, a plate of griddle
! cakes hot from the kitchen, he
handed me a tin cup, saying
''W Ould you give me some hot tea
for my wife? She's sick; Annie
ISM used to this kind of life; she's
lady, Annie is; she isn't common
folks. She came from Baltimore,
and she isn't used to anything but
the best. Asking him if Annie"
took milk and sugar in her tea,
went in and filed the pint cup, and
when be withdrew 1 perceived that
he and the lady" were camped IN
der the hedge, just outside the large
gate. Half an hour later, my hus-
band, on his way to an evening
meeting, found these tramps still on
the roadside. The dews and shad-
ows of an autumn evening were be-
ginning to fall. The couple had
an unusual amount of baggage with
them-a valise, two armv blankets,
and q large shawl. The woman,
purple in the face, was bowed over
in hopeless intoxication. The
man was pulling her by the arm,
exhorting her, ''AnnieI Annie! get
upl It's late" Seeing my husband,
he said: Poor Annie, she's sick;
| don't know what is the matter
with her. We have travelled too
far; she's overcome"
"She is overcome with liquor"
was the reply; "she's drunk"
"Not mite replied the cham
pion stoutly; she's lady,"
"She's drunk, my man, and you
may cause her death by trying to
drag her about in this state. Set
tie her comfortably, and cover her
up well; she'll sleep it off,"
Don't be slanderin' Annie, sir;
she's a lady. To think of the likes
OF her lynn out all night; Annie!
Annie! get up" A little further
expostulation effected nothing, and
they were left to themselves. Sit
ting in the library with one window
partly open, came constantly to my
ear, at about ten minute intervals,
a monotone, "Anniel Annie! get
up" And, then, when patience
seemed gone, the mans voice rose
in a shrek, "ANNIE!!r' and died
away, presently to re-begin mildly,
"AnnIe! Annier'
Returning an hour later, my bus
band found the tramps as before,
and again demonstrated: Come, |
my man, this poor woman is drunk; !
let the help you to put her in a com
Portable position, or she may die "a |
che night gets cold"
"Well, your honor, I'll not dis
pute you any longer. Annie is
drunk; it's her failin'; it's what
brought her here. Now, do take a
little now and then, but it never
makes me drunk; but you see poor
Annie gets overcome entirely.'
One OF the blankets was then
spread on the ground. close under
the hedge. with the valise on it tor a
pillow. Annie was then stretched
on this improvised bed, and covered
with the other blanket and the
shawl. Her heavy breathing and
the strong smell OF the whisky
seemed TO strike the man, for he
said: Its plain enough she's
drunk, sir, amt it? Annie! Anniel
wake up, Anniew
Let her alone; get under the
blanket yourself, and see that she
does not get uncovered. By morn
ing you can take her TO an eating
house for some hot coffee
'Well, but Annie IS a lady; YOU {
IAN see that for yourself, can't you,
sir?"
"How, then, did she come IN this
1T was the drop OF liquor did it,
III. Annie was in Baltimore, Just
beautiful young lady, with silk
owns, and with rings, and a nice !
.ouse; oh! people didn't look down
n her then. But she took TO drink.
n, and 1t went from bad TO worse,
~ she ran of from her friends and
obody cared for her; and then she
box up with a common fellow like
he. l amt DO gentleman, but An
lie Is a lady; and once she wouldn't
looked at me- Yes, sir, there she
!. It's hard, amt 1t, trampin' and
-eepin' under hedges, and called I
runk. 1 always denies it as long =
5 can, sir, seem she's a lady" '
And what was the appearances of :
AS unfortunate woman? 1t bore H
ut the testimony of her tramping
usband. As Millions Satan looked -
OF less than archangel fallen" so =
-nnle IN her lost estate bore the
secs OF former grace, beauty, and
s1nement. Here was some gay
altlmore belle betrayed by the r
lne-cup, which in her folly she !
lay have offered for the ruin of