McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-11-01
"Mebby it's because you fed the poor
ramp.n Phil said to his mother.

1
The next noon Phil came in from his
work, warm and hungry. "Mother,' -
he said, while they were at the dinner
table, s'there's man down by the mill
on pile of boards; he's sick and tired,
and his boots are all worn out. He told
some of the boys that he hadn't had
anything to eat since yesterday noon,
and he's walked all tie way from
Augusta here, trying to get work; but
|nobody'll give him work, and he's out
of money but if he can get to Chicago
he says he knows he'll get work.
Mother, will you lend me fifty cents to
give him to help him along a short way
toward Chicago on tie carsP I'll pay
you back Saturday night when I'm paid
for my work"
"Why, Phil, fifty cents!" his mother
said. "You know nothing about the
man; he might take the money and
get drunk
"No, he won't, mother, l know he
WON'T" Phil answered earnestly. she
has good face, and he don't beg.
The boys questioned his story out OF
him."
"But it seems a little strange. Phil,
that he can get no work this time of
year"
"Mebbe # seems strange to folks
about u.s." Phil answered; "but do
wish, mother, you'd lend me fifty
cents"
81 haven't fifty cents, Phil
"Then borrow it, MOTHER" Phil
urged. "You're more used to borrow
ing than am"
"No, Phil, can't do it,
Phil said no more, but his mother no.
ticed that he carried his slice of bread
away with him instead of eating it, and
at night he told her that he borrowed
fifty cents of a boy down town, and
had given it to the man who had so. ex-
cited his sympathy.
81 hope you don't care, MOTHER" he
said. ''I'm sure he's a good man, he
was awful grateful, and tears choked
him all up. Anyway I'm glad I gave
it,
Another year rolled away, and during
the time Phil and his mother had paid
the house rent promptly, and none of
them had gone hungry. The last of
September came, and Phil had saved
| enough to take him into the Chicago
exposition.
ais it awful mean in me to want to
90, mother" he asked one night.
"Hadn'tI better give you the money
and stay at home?''
sYou have worked hard and faith
fully, my boy, and have been great
help and comfort to me-" his mother
fondly answered; 'and you deserve a
1;t%1o b,,< phil on, of
to have you 60 to Chicago. You know
if your father should see you he would
take you from me if he could"
But Phil was brave, and he quieted |
his mothers fears, and tha next morn
ing started for Chicago on one of the
early excursion trains, expecting to
come back at night. But he did not
come, and Mrs. Denham feared the
worst. The following morning brought |
her a postal card. It reads:
DEAR MOTHER: am safe and well, and
I hope you amt worried about me, though |
know you have. I am having boss time.
tR RaS Ur sres days Fl e cost ms any
thing. It's q surprise. YOUR PHIL.
Phil came home the third day, and
after the first greetings, when his moth
er kissed him and cried over him, and
the twins pulled about him in bolster
Gus glee at his return, he told his ''sur-
prise"
cit was while l was in Machinery
Hail. at the exposition" he COM
menced, 81 was looking at the different
machines, when a man came up to me
and said, Look up here, boy, let me see
if 1 know you,' and / was a little bit
scared, mother, for thought right
away of what you said about father, but
when I looked up l knew it wasn't
father. Then the man said, yes,
thought l wasn't mistaken. Boy, do
you remember that something over a
year ago you gave piece of bread and
fifty cents to a trampp' And then I
saw that he was my tramp but he
looks different now, because he's well
and dressed up good.
ssAnd, mother, he was awful good to
me, and he went all through the expo
sition with me, and told me lots about
it that never could have learned alone,
and he took me to restaurant to din
ner, and to Lincoln Park on the street.
cars to see the bears and alligators and
everything, and to the North Side water
works, where there's a big engine, and
then he took me to Pullman, where he
lives, and his wife and two girls were
just as good to me, too. They all do
sewing, and he works in the carshops,
and they live in real nice place: a
flat they call it; and Mr.. Andrews
that's his name-said he'd come and
see you as soon as he could get away a
day, and he knows he can get a place
for me there to work, where can live
with them, if you'll let me; and-oh,
mother! amt you glad [ borrowed that
fifty cents for him?''
Phil was almost breathless when his
story was finished, he had talked so fast