Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-06-04

MISS FYDGET'S MISTAKE.

"lf you please ma'am, won't you give me
II drink Of milk"
Miss Fydget had just come in from n long
and bootess search through the pasture for
wandering brood of young turkeys which
had been missing since morning.
She was warm and tired one boot was
burst open on the side her sun bonnet hung
limp ut the back of her head her gray curls
were in true artistic confusion, and a vi
cious blackberry briar had torn her hands
until she looked as if she might have been
in skirmish with the Zulus.
"But wouldn't have minded all that, was
Miss Fydget's melancholy comment to her
self, "if only | could have found my young
turkeys They do say that there is com
pany of tramps loaflng around the country
and"
Just then the mild voice of an old man
sitting on the well-curb broke in upon the
thread Of her reflections--an old man in a
shabby gray coat, buttoned closely across his
chest shoes thickly coated with dust, and 0
rude cane cut from the woods upon which
he rested his folded hands.
Miss Fydget stared at the old man; the
old man returned her gaze, deprecatingly.
perhaps you're deaf, ma'am,' said the
stranger, elcvating his voice a semi-tone OF
50 higher,
"Nomore than yourself" said Miss Fydget
naturally somewhat irritated.
"Would you have the kindness to give
me little milk"
Miss Fydget bcthought herself Of the float
ing rumor she heard Perhaps this venera.
bic vagrant was one Of the very band now
maraudng the wales and glens of Roche.
ment; perhaps even now he had corps Of
bloody minded CONDUCTORS hidden behind
the stone wall, or under the moss-grown
roof of the ancient smoke-honse. And Miss
Fydget was possessed Of several pieces OF
antique silver, and had forty dollars in an
old teapot, on the uppermost closet shelf !
"Who are your" CURLY questioned she.
"a man and brother" the old man an
swered, not without covert smile
mo, you're not, sud Miss Fydget, in
censed at what she deemed II piece Of un-
necessary insolence.
you're a tramp"
The stranger smiled
as u tramp, then, destitute of all the
privileges Of humanityY" he asked.
"Eh :" said Miss Fydget.
Cramps must live as well as other peo-
pie" pleaded the old man. "Now look at
me"
ayes" said Miss Fydget, "rve looked at
you, aud a dusty, shabby looking figure you
are, must say"
"lye walked fifteen miles since morning,
with nothing 10 eat or drink"
"Ihafs what they all say" said Miss
Fydget, incredulously,
"Wouid il be any great stretch 10 your
hospitality TO give me u slice Of bread and n
drink Of cool milkY" he persisted.
Miss Fydgct stood for moment ponder
ing the petition In her mind.
"Look here, old man." she said, at last, 81
know perfectly well that you are a tramp,
but suppose you are human after all.
There's a pile Of knotty pine stumps under
the shed you may split u few for my cook
ing stove"
"lIut, ma'am--"
81 knew how il would be-" shrilly inter
rupted Miss Fydget. "You'rc deal too lazy
TO work; you'd rather starve than 10 do an
honest days work, any time"
81 beg your pardon" said the old man
mildly. ats good many years since
split pile Of wood"
an go bail il is, said Miss Fydget, satr.
ically
"But If you will get me the ak, will try
and do my best he added meekly.
The AK is banging up in the wood-sh
at the left hand side Of the door" said Mis-
Fydgct, and she went into the house, lcay
ing her venerable visitor 10 do as he please
about accepting her offer.
After she was within the four yellow
washed walls Of her own kitchen, however
il occurred to her that she bad done rathe
a foolish thing.
81 suppose he'd as soon split my hea'
open rs the sticks Of wood" she thought q
herself "And Of course he knows that In
alone in the worid--l mean IN the house
but is pretty much the same thing,
with deep sigh "And who knows bu
that may be murdered within the mex
five miButesf'
"Thud" came the sound Of the AK, dc
scending with slow, regular strokes upoi
the knotiy stunps Of yellow pine, and Mis-
fydget listened with a sort Of terrible fasci