The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-04-06
THE TALE OF A TRAMP.
BY EDWARD L. sTowELL.

duluIIU. WHtH NY WIG, lllbIilS ncl ucuu
from the sewing in her lap, said, in a
low tone;
Surely | heard rap"
Cor rat suggested Charlie, fresh
from college, and skeptical on any sub
ject that might be preached. REALLY,
mother if your hearing is so acute,
please count the steps of that half
frozen fly on the ceiling
Nonsense, Charlie" replied his
mother, with smile. "But am sure
! heard some one rap. There il is
again.! You must have heard that.
Nettie, dear, run to the door"
The knock this time, though modest
and apologize in tone, was not to he
disputed. Nettie reached out her hand
to take the candle, but was anticipated
by her incorrigible brother, who rudely
blew ont the taper, eXclaimng:
"Now, then, mother, for test of
your ingenuity; who is this caller, and
what is his or her elrand? Listen! Can
you analyze that knock?N
Nonsense exclaimed his mother
again. 'Some tramp suppose, who
has seen the light from our window,
and
But she was interrupted by Charles
burst of merIimeni,
"A tramp! And at this season of the
year! No, no mother; try again. A
tramps knock would reverberate
through the house like thunder
'Come, Charles interposed |, ''this
t1la Won NAV ha laonipo a ,,a;oh
Dor waiting, or child
"A little childv' cried Nettie, and on
a night like this! No. brother, You
shall not detain me another moment. -
And after slight scutlle Nettie emerged
in triumph, bearing the disputed can
die.
As she pauses on the threshold to re-
light the candle, | may as well make
public my secret conviction that being
nearer akin TO the angels than our Net
tie did not exist She opens the outer
door, her friendly face beaming a well
come to whoever might be standing in
the darkness, while her gentle voice in
quires: "Who is therep"
We all listened intently for the reply,
that, quite in keeping with the rap,
was delivered in low, strained voice.
'1am hungry cold and sick. | saw
the light from your window, and
''You are welcome, sir, interrupted
Nettie, gravely. and" she added,
glancing an arch look at her mother
"and expected. y
The stranger rs he entered, directed
a NIL tSW nd M IL
If not compromising the import of her
last words, nor the smile that passed
from lip to lip of the family circle.
Hungry, cold, and sick! There are
many such in the world, but few who
bear such genuine marks of distress.
His clothing, worn and torn by long
service, hung in limp folds about his
shrinking, shivering form; while his
face pale and contracted by physical
Cor was il mentally suffering, might
have been taken for that Of corpse,
were it not for the dark, brilliant eyes
that burned deep in their sockets,
Nettie had conducted him into the
kitchen adjoining, and by a clever
stratagom beguied her brother ont of
his easy chair. which, before he could
intercept her, she had dragged into
the next room and placed AT the dis
posal of her visitor
You are too good. murmured the
young man thankfully, as he sank
YEARLY into the inviting chair.
"A model tramp sncered Charlie,
the loss of whose easy chair might have
tempted him into whispering in loud
keys
The stranger probably overheard
linn, as he shielded his face with his
white, bloodleSS hands, and spoke no
more.
Nettie fitted busily from room to
room, from pantry 10 cellar, on hospia-
BILE thought intent, apparently uncon-
scious of her mothers slight coughs
and other efforts to attract her attcn-
ton when the stock Of preserves was
invaded although q close observer
would have noticed by the tell-talc DIM
pies in her cheek and the sparkle in
her eye that she was quite cognzant Of
her mothers uncasincss,
80 these children! how they do
wbeedle and caiole their parentsl
II was characteristic OF Neuie that
when she gave she gave with both
hands full. She gave the cake and
withheld the crust And SO 1t was that
when the young man, letting his hands
fall from before his face, beheld the
glittering tea-table, with its goodly ar
ray of substantials and delicacies, he
stared at his fair benefactress in such
mute helpless way that it was anus
ing, half-saddening
And you have prepared this for me!
For mel And you do not know who or
what am.
"0ur guest" responded Netlie
gently,
"Not but that the light glancipg
disdainfully at his shabby coat .--''re-
veals my wretchcdness TOO plainly"
pardon me" said Netlie, bravely;
"but it is the poor we are commanded
to assist; nor do ] know of any duty
that yields half the pleasure"
The warmth of tho room BETRAYED
me INTO nap, continued the stranger,
,anu dreamed -alaS' it was but
aream,-that J should 60 forth from this
mouse Tree from AL the burden oi re-
morse mat has weighed me down these
many years But, no; such a miracle
n could moi happen. have walked once
more to misery and 70 the fact that |