Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-01-13
The Man at the Door.

No tramps here,' said I; and shut
the door in his face, I did. The wind
blew SO that could hardly do it, and
the sleet was beating on the panes,
and the pear trees were grooming and
moaning as if they suffered In the storm.
mo tramps here; I'm lone woman
and I'm afraid of 'em.'
Then the man hadn't seen yet, fol
the dark, went away from the door.
Champ, champ, champ, came the man
back again, and knocked on the door
knocked not half as'loud as he did be-
fore-and I opened it hot, and angry.
This time I 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.
How near is the next house, ma am p
said he.
Three miles or more said I.
And that is not tavern?'
NO. said I j; mo drinks to be got
there; it is Miss <Mitten's and she's as
set against tramps as am
"a I don't want. to drink said the man
though do want food. You needn't
be afraid to let me in, ma'am. I've
been wounded, and am not able TO walk
far, and my clothes are thin, and it's
bitter cold. I've been trying to get to
my parents at Greenbank, where I can
rest till I'm better; and all my money
was stolen from me three days ago. You
needn't be afraid let me lie just before
the fire, and only give me crust, the
stalest crust, to keep me from starving,
and the Lord will bless you for it,
And then he looked at me with his
wild eyes in way that would have
made me do it il it hadn't been I'd seen
80 much of these impOstors. The war
was just over, and every beggar that
came along said he was soldier travel
ing home, and had been wounded and
robbed. One that I had been fool
2 enough to help limped away out of
sight as he thought, and then-for
was at the garnet Observation-Disclosures
his crutches and tramped it with the
strongest.
= No doubt your pocket is full of
money! said, and you only want a
chance to rob and murder me. Goaway
with you y
Drusilla-that's my niece-was bak-
ing cakes in the kitchen. Just then she
came to the door and motioned with
her mouth to me: DO let him stay,
Auntie,' and if I had not had better
sense might, but knew better than
chick of sixteen.
GO away with your says I, louder
than before: Il wont have this any
longer
And he gave kind of groan, and
took his hand from the latch, and then
went champ, champ, through the frozen
snow again and thought him gone,
when there was once more, hardly with
a knock at all, faint touch, like q
child's.
And when opened the door again he
came quite in and stood leaning on his
cane pale as ghost, his eyes bigger than
ever.
We'll, of all the impudence y said I.
He looked at me and then said:
Madam, have a mother at Green
bank. want to live to see her; shall
not if try to go any further tonight. ;
They all want to see their mothers,
and Just then it came into my mind
that hoped my son Charlie. who had
been a real soldier, an officer he had
come to be, mind you, wanted to see his,
and would soon.
Il have been wounded, as you can
see.' said he.
Don't go a-showing me your hurts
said I; they buy 'em, so they tell nae,
to go a begging with now. I read the
papers. I tell We, and Pm principled,
and SOS our clergyman, agin giving
anything unless it's through some we'll
organized society. Tramps are my
abomination. And as for keeping you
all night, you can't expect that Of de-
cent folks-go!'
Drusilla came to the door and said:
Let him stay. aunty,' with her lips
again ,sbut took no notice.
So be went, and this time he did not
como back and sat down by the fire and
smell the baking cakes and the apples
stewing, and tea drawing on the kitch-