The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1883-01-13
The BaDy,s Rank.

my head all the while-it was lost under
o heap of rubbish. What fools men ars
when they're left to themselves some
times! Now, leok at me. Would You say
was ever tramp?"
A tramp! His white, muscular threat
- white and wholesome under the coal
dust-his strong, well-knitted frame,
clear eye, and firm hand denoted . man
of pluck and courage practical
worker; not the idle, neryeless, relaxed
object which is denominated tramp,
and which is blight on the face ofNna-
ture. No; this man, guiding the good
engine Mohawk, was never . tramp, and
we told him so.
''But was, gentlemen" he said.
coolly, sighting a long stretch of road
over the backbone of his engine, and let
ting her out a little for dead-level heat.
II was not only tramp, but the meanest
kind of one, and I worked harder and
suffered more to get into that condition
than ever did to reach this" and he
looked proudly at the polished trim
mings of his flying steed.
s'Ill tell you how it was," he said at
last, as he showed up round curve and
then went easily past the fields clad in
their summer verdure past woods
that were panoramic in fash of beauty
and away into the open country. II was
a tramp-no matter how I came to be, or
why, lost home, friends, self-respect
and all that makes manhood-but I
didn't wear red ribbon at<my watch
chain then, and my brain was muddled
there were many more like me-and
went from bad to worse, but / had never
broken the laws, wronged anyone but
myself, when fell in with some fellows.
who thought they had found tool, and
they had. They say every man has his
price, and they offered me mine; it was
the price of my soul, top, and I agreed to
take the money and do the wotk.
"It was this-to sneak around and get
acquainted with the inside of q house
the house of the richest man in the
place. and to show them the way; they
said I looked the mosG respectable for
the purpose. Gentlemen, yea wouldn't
have trusted one of the gang with ten
cent bit, least of me as looked then,
but I felt almost proud of the compli-
| ment, and that afternoon was to go up
to the house to look for work or to ask
for food, inst as it happened to strike me
when there was no one home but the
| women folks, and look around to see
how we would get in that night for rob-
| bing, and perhaps murder was what
| they meant.
''It was just such pleasant, peaceful
| afternoon as this, and all the doors and
| windows open and not soul saw me as
| I lounged in through the garden and up
to the veranda. The gang had fallen
in with had made one mistake-they had
kept me sober for the work, not clear
headed, but sober enough to make me
| feel that I was doing mean, dastardly
trick, to make me for the first time
in many day ashamed of my own
company. But I'd gone so far
must go on I had walked up the steps
and into the house without seeing a soul,
and I stepped into long, cool room, and
there I saw on the mantel, in a great gold
! framed glass, white face and two red,
blood-shot eyes my own; but what a
| fright they gave me; and then I saw
| something else, small iron bank, such
as children keep pennies in. 1t was
made of latticed bars of wrought iron. J.
and between every bar was the CLEAN of
| quarters and half dollars, and smaller
gold coin. hadn't penny to my name.
I was hungry, tired, footsore. and dis
| gusted with what had undertaken. It
came over me like fash that [ could
take this money and get out of the gang
it would be dishonesty, but not such as
this they had planned. reached out
my hand and stopped. There at my very
feet. on O white lace pillow, and all
| white and fluffy like an angel-lay the
loveliest baby ever saw in all my life
She was asleep, but as I looked at her
in startled wonder, she opened her eyes
| as wide and as bright as daisies, held up
both pretty hands, laughed like bird
singing, and said Joe, Joe," which
wasn't my name at all. I didn't touch
the baby's hand, and I didn't touch the
baby. While I stood there a little pale
woman came out of her room and nearly
tainted when she saw me, and I sat down
there and told the whole story, and
asked her to have me sent to Jail for pro.
lection for myself end others; she sent
for her husband, and all the time we
| were talking the baby laughed and
cooed, anu called me by the name she
gave me. Joe, and the rest of the gang
were waiting at the turn of the road fol
me to come back to them.
"Ididn't give them up-it wasn't worth
l
they had designed on their guard, and
left the town that night; didn't go tc
1 jail; the man whose house was to be rob.
bed gave me some work, but I didn't re-
form all in minute, and he never could
| have reformed me at all--it was the baby
that did it. She trusted me: when ]
felt the old boy getting the better of me
I went to the baby and she smiled at me,
1 nd OH inht off 10 q
man of me- I never could tell what th al
baby saw in my face to make her hell
me in that way. but 1t wasn't of thil
and she did it. That was ten years ago
gentlemen, and am more of man thar
I ever was, and it's her doing"
s'She must be quite large girl now,
we said, inquiringly.
s'Maybe so Idont know how that is
some folks say they don't reckon them b,
months and years! I'd like to feel she'
the same sweet smiling baby, holding
out her hands in that confiding way ant
call me that same name-but neve
! wanted anyone else to use the nam
| since she said it tle last time
She was going to sleep never t.
]. wake up, the doctor said; they. toit
! me she wouldn't know me. that
j would disturb her. I went in on N.
j knees, I crawled mp to the bed AM
/ looked at her; dear saint, she was white
/ I as the sheets, and her pretty curls neve
! stirred hair, and her sweet eyes closed
s and I groaned in my heart, for though
: she was gone, and then she opened he
! eyes and there came great struggle TO
q breath, and oh. my God, I'd have died