The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-03-13

wind was blowing pretty hard, and the
Did man found it rather didi suit to stanc
ap on his crutches, although each OF
lnem had o spike in the end, rs apro
lection against ice, banana skins, and
other impulsive things that beset ths
path of man.
One of his legs shot backward from
The knee, and seemed to remain in that
position all the time.
The foot of his game leg was wrapped
IN flannel, and around the flannel about
fifty yards of cord were wound to keep
i on all right.
After he had seated himself on bale,
car-man approached him and said:
~How's your foot to-day?"
First rate" replied the old man.
Don't you find it hard to get along
IN crutches ?" inquired the car-man.
Not at all," replied the old man,
mot at all You see, when man
walks oil day on his feet, he becomes
'oot-sore."
Yes"
~But when a man walks all day on
,ne foot and his erutches, he can only
IRE one foot. The fatigue that would
naturally accrue to the other, goes into
;he crutches. Consequently, l am never
toot-sore."
did you have your leg hurt in the
WARP" inquired the car-msn.
Not much replied the old cripple,
Il wasn't in the war at all; lived in
Canada during the war;"
How long have you been using
crutches?"
"About three months"
Il had an idea you were lame all your
life" said the car-man.
"Oh, no; it is only recent"
rheumatism
"No."
Crushed on railroad train?"
"No."
Slipped down on slippery walk ?"
Wrong again." replied the lame
man, as he looked dreamily across the
river, and followed with his eve the sea-
yulls that foated happily along the sky
on the dead-wing.
The car-man looked at him curiously.
Then he repeated:
"Hav emit been lame for life? Haven't
rheumatism? Haven't been crushed
On railroad? Haven't slipped down
On the deadly banana skin or slippery
walk ?"
None of those, sir; none OF those" re-
sponded the lame man.
Did you break your leg in football
match?"
NO
did you ever get tangled up in the
machinery of - mill 2"
Never worked i'll q mill, replied the
lame man, as he made dreamy designs
On the ground with the end of one of
his crutches.
After moments silence the car mans
curiosity got the better of him again.
There was quite line Of drays ahead Of
him, and it would be long time before
he could deliver his load and get re-
ceipt. So he turned again to the old
man on the bale, and inquired:
did You ever fall down hatch
way?"
NO, sir"
Then the car-man braced himself for
the final effort, and said:
"Then how did you hurt your Lego"
"Who said hurt my Lego?
We'll, didn't you hurt your leg?'
asked the car-man.
did I say hurt my leg?' demanded
the old man.
NO"
"Then what are you talking about?"
queried the cripple.
"Your leg"
What are you asking about my leg ?"
inquired the man on crutches.
How you hurt it %
IL didn't hurt it Mt all.'
"You didn't" inquired the ar-man,
in tones that betokened his great sur
prise.
mo"
"Then what is the matter with it"
IN othing."
"Why do you tie flannel around it,
them"
"To keep it warm responded the
lame man with crutches.
Couldn't you keep it warm by q
stove?"
Eyes, but 1 couldn't carry a stove
around with me; besides, haven't got
one to carry around"
Then you are not lame at all? 2"
mot ut all.
"Then why do you go on crutches ?"
Because l am impecunious.
The car-man seemed puzzled. Seeing
his bewilderment, the man on crutches
explained:
"You see am hard up.
yes
Therefore am obliged to resort to
economy"
"Yes."
$50 purchase one pair of shoes"
Eyes"
"And they are neither rights nor
lefts."
NO"
Therefore / can wear either shoe on
either foot
| II see"
$50 L wear one shoe and go on
crutches to keep the other shoe new.
1t is merely economy. At this rate one
pair of shoes, worn one at time, will
last me twice as long as pair worn nj
once. Sometimes go lame in the RICH,
leg, sometimes in the left, for change.
never wear more than one shoe at a
time. But expect to get employment
soon, and when get il shall hang my
crutches up, and walk around on my
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