Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-09-04
A TRAMP.


nit il, but | must. l had been
machinist, with p pretty, gentle
wife, good wages, a pleasant
home; and then the hard times.
Hard enough they were to mil
lions besides me, hut / did not
think of them. had more means
than many others kDew-food,
If it was course, fire enough for
warmth--but what wanted, cried
out for. ragged that | could not get,
WAS "elicate livinT and luxuri es
for Annie, for she IS dying. l
know now rotni & coulh have
saved her; &C Sumption is help
less and hopeless; b one day
when / ven to the Charleston
steamer, the day she sailed, to adj
just some little matter n the ma
chirery that they thou ut out OF
gear, s w the wife o one of the
firm for WON / worEe up town
brought on board to go to Florida
for the wintel.
She looked a little ike Annie;
her eyes were clear and gray, too,
and her face wan anu sweet. She
was wrapped n solt shs wis and
lying back in a chair carried y
two servants; a kind-faced nurse
was with her, ard her husba ID
beside her. / had glimpse at
her state room as l passed through
the cabin.
One day I came home and found
her paler than ever. I had bro't
her an orange, but she could not
taste it. / sat down by the lounge
and she put her thin white hands
in mine.
Crank" she said, in a whisper,
"when / am dead try to be good;
try to know God. / couldn't talk
about it, dear; but l have prayed.
God is good, Frank. l am going
home"
could not bear this. did not
believe in it. God good, and An
ME dying, while that other wo-
man was saved by the money l
had as good a right to have as Jim
Laurence! knew afterWard that
all the luxuries that he lavished
on his wife were as useless as the
coarse shawl and common food
gave mine. She died before An
ME, and away from him. stoOp-
ed down to kiss my wife and stop
such talk. Her lips were cold; her
hot hand grew chill in mine; her
great gray eyes looked at me with
one bright look of love and then
closed. Annie had gone away.
1t was May when the IridiOn
works closed, but had not work.
ed there for two months. l had
lived on what few dollars l had
left after Annie was buried, and
now and then l got porters job,
for / was as strong as a horse.
Still, I always expected to get
back to the works if the worst
came to the worst, and when
when they closed up for want of
orders l felt as if had nothing to
stay in the city for, and like
great many others made up my
mind that since | was born into
the world it should give me free
living. / went on tramp.
/ can't say.I liked it at first; Ii
was a great while before I could
sleep we'll in a barn, or under an
old musty haystack, but I had grit
enough to persist, and the lazy
life, the fresh air, the trees, and
creatures all so different from the
grimy shop and dirty streets, did
seem amazingly pleasant. l sup
pose this sort of life changed me
inwardly,t too. Igot too feel more
u mil
women shut and lock the door
when they saw me come into the
yard, and hand out the food l
asked for through the window.
How / used TO scare them! l
don't wonder. was big, ragged,
and full of bad thoughts that show
ed out in my face and ran over at
my lips. l would not have stop
ped at knocking down any man
who came across my way, but they
generally l,l me alone, After
awhile / got revolver. 1t was
never loaded, bat it was just as
good to frlghten women with, and
many a one fetched me warm
food and drink when let them
see it. / did like to see them
turn white and SILVER. / was so
angry with everything that l
liked to terrify and hurt everybody
/ could. Hateful and hating one
another" that is about as near my
state then as l can tell'it.
So / tramped all summer. I
did not think often about Annie.
l didn't like to for good and suffi-
Cient reasons: By September l
had got way into Vermont,
among the hills, and began to
think l must work back to the