The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1881-03-18


lord. There's always tramps and bur-
glars around. They're a crop that don't
belong to any particular season Of the
year."
AS turned away-I did not notice it
At the time, but 1t came back TO me after.
ward, as things do come back, like asud.
den flash across the dark shield OF men,
ory "A man who was lounging on the
steps looked hard at me.
/ colored n little, and thought TO my
self; "Wen, he will know me the next
time he sees me-" and then forgot all
abSut il; for had mothers black bonn
bazine to match and Lirs spring hat TO
buy, and some dinner china to select,
and tie doctors prescription for Lee
man TO fill out at the druggists, so that
It was well on to seven when ] turned
old Pomp's head homeward in the su-
burbs of the town, with feeling of ella
tion which was quite pardonable, when
one considers my inexperience in the
marketing line, and my exceptionally
good success.
The sunshine was warm and still on
the high road and | was rather glad
when at last we came TO the cool shad-
ows of the Red swamp, where the birds
were all silent in the noon-heats, and the
sweetest of odcrs came floating up from
the tangled recesses of fern and cowslip
on either side of the solitary, railed-in
road.
All at once old Pomp gave sidewise
start-bis ancient idea of snying-and
then / saw a man, pale, dusty and
tired-looking, sitting on a fallen log, Just
outside the road. felt sorry for him |
was like mother-who never would let
the shabbiest or meanest looking vaga-
bond go pa t our house without a
draught of milk, or a piece of fresh
baked pie. oraslice of her famous homo
made bread-cake-and withoutstopping
to think, drew in old POmp's rein.
care you going toward Lenox cross
roads, said |. "YesP" "Then iump in !;
I'm going in that direction, too, and I'll
give you lift"
He thanked me in a silent, dropping
sorto way, and seated himself on the
board at the back of the wagon, toward
which pointed with the handle of my
whip.
You look ill.," said l.
81 am not i'll, hesaid, with a smoth-
cred cough. "Only tired with my long
walk. didn't know it was so fan TO
Lenox"
:" suppose you are going for workPn
said l. "Deacon Brierley has a good
many hands just now, in his tobacco
factory"
"No," said he;" l am not going to
work"
/ asked no more questions. ] did moi
like the idea of mans shrouding him4
self in mystery in that sort of way and,
as glanced around once more, a sudden
revelation came across me, like blaze
of light.
1t was the same man who had eyed
me so keenly on the steps of the Park
hotel
Then / remembered my mothers
words of caution, Leeman's reiterated
exhortations, the landlords friendly
words of warning
And, in spite of it all, had deliber-
ately thrust my silly head into the jaws
of danger. There was only one thing
remaining for me to do-to get out Of
the scrape as well as / could.
/ cast about in my mind how to do
this; and presently, with beating heart,
| dropped little paper parcel Of blue
ribbon into the road.
"Ohw l cried, checking up Pomp,
I've dropped my parcel. Would
would you mind getting out after itP"
"Not in the least" said the stranger,
and he'climbed laboriously out of the
wagon.
He had scarcely set his feet on the
ground before laid the whip on old
Pomp with a will, and ratified away
over the long straight road at a pacd
that seemed positively marvellous to me
and Pomp both.
So we left our passenger behind, in
The middle ofthe Red swamp. Icould
see him standing there, blank and
astounded, the sole figure IN the long
perspective, as ventured to look back;
but l only whipped Pomp the harder,
and never let him bate his pace until
we were well out of the Red swamp.
"I've out-generaled him." said /, TO
myself, "and I've saved Leeman's
twcnty-four dollars. I'm sorry about
the blue ribbon; but it was only yard
and n quarter, after all, and can trim
Ll's hat with something else."
They were delighted at my prowess
when / 1related my adventure at home.
Leeman declared was a capital littll
market-woman mother shuddered at
the idea the desperate tramp alone
with me in the tangled wilderness of the
Red swamp; Lii declared that was a
heroine.
"Wan't it n good idea for Kate to
drop the blue ribbon, and send him
after it ?" said she.
"Kate was goose ever TO let him
get into the wagon ?" said Leeman,
knitting his brow.
Kate mustn't 60 by herself such
long distance again, said mother.
And drank my cup of tea, and rest
ed myself, and went out afterward to
see the new brood OF darling little yell
low chicks, which old Speckle had
brought off the nest during my absence.