Connecticut western news., 1884-10-29
The Tramp.

He came slouching through the rus tic side gate, and up the winding gravel walk, gay with borders of vivid autumn 5lossoms-his rags futtering in the susty wind, sorry hat pulled low over ais haggard eyes--his haggard face half buried in torrent Of shaggy beard. The | wretched remnant of coat, buttoned close under his chin, hid the pitiful lack of linen underneath; the searching Oc- tober sunshine singled him out. and showed him at his worst, and on every visible vestige of the man was stamped the brand of abiect want, starvation and hopeless vagabondism
 He shuffied on toward the rear of the rambling stone farmhouse, his broken shoes clattering on the crisp gravel, his restless black eyes keeping sullen, fur tive watch for savage dogs; evidently he was used to being set upon, and brow beaten, and driven from pillar to post, that he had come to look fer little else.
 Screened by the billowy glories of a riotous multa-fora, slender tawny- haired maid of thirteen busted with a basket of juicy red cheeks-peeped through the leaf-curtained window of the wide kitchen with startled blue eyes, at the sudden warning of Aunt Dorinda's shrilLkeyed voice, uplifted in expostula- &sox, ,,oora ForoS1,ln 4hop poJ;%n
 ''Get off that stoop with your mud, you nasty, tramping vagabond I de- clare, it is enough to try the patienceo of Job; and 'Tura this minute through with the weeks cleaning You tramps are good for nothing under the canopy but traipsing the country, sponging your keep, and pestering the pHblic with your musses and your whining P
 Poor Aunt Dorinda--who boasted microscopic eye for dirt and disorder in any shape-cherished dire antipathy for all ''tramps," from the luckless tin peddIer, whose evil star beguiled him under the lash of her invincible tongue, down to the abiect wretches content to starve upon the public bounty.
 The forlorn creature got meekly of the keeping-room stoop, and stood with dropping plumage stoically awaiting 8 lull in the wordy tempest.
 ssI beg your pardon, ma'an," deep, mellow voice ventured, deprecatingly; "I am looking for work, and hoped you might give me job and pay me with 8 morsel of food. Ham faint with hunger"
 a'And serves you right, for shiftless, sinking lazy-bones, make no doubt, {" struck in the irate spinster. "A pretty spectacle you be to come asking decent folks for work Clear out l I've no work and no victuals for you-nor the likes of you-a begging, thieving packp
 Madam" the voice answered, with sullen dignity, ''I am starving, but could not steal. Only, for the love of heaven, give me some light task, l will gladly earn crust. I cannot go farther without food"
 s'You can't, hey ?' interrupted Aunt Dorinda, wrathfully. "We'll see about that. Here, Teaserl''
 ssAunt 'Inda," called the sweet voice of Ismay Hollis--the little maid with tawny locks and big, innocent blue eyes, like the forget-me-nots down at the bar berry spring-"please, aunt, send the poor man into the kitchen; I will give him some breakfast. And, aunty, I do believe the biscuits are scorching P
 "Hold your tongue, Ismay, and get them apples sorted. Send him into the kitchen, hey? Just catch me at 1t ! You clear right ont, you tramping fel- low; don't let me find you here when l come back !" And with gesture of aw- ful import, the elderly termagant skur- ried away to the rescue of the imperiIed biscuits.
 The hollow eyes of the vagrant glowed huDgrily as the delicious aroma of home made loaves, crisp ginger bread and faky pies were waited from the open kitchen doorway.
 Pretty Ismay, who had routed the enemy by bit of feminine strategy, saw from her snug ambush of leaves and blossoms, the grimy hands clutch eager Iy, the white teeth glitter wosfshly be- hind his dusky beard. But curbing the fierce impulse that prompted him to rush forward and snatch morsel from the tempting plenty within his reach, he turned dejectedly away.
 "Poor man P said low voice at his elbow, and the troubled blue eyes oi little Ismay, full of soft pity as some compassionate angels, looked shyly uI from a tumbled mass of curls. "Pool man l you are very hungry, aren't you? See, have got you some break fast. I'm afraid it was wicked, butt had to take it without asking leave. was so sorry when linda turned you away hungry P And the red lips quiv cred, and two big tears fell down and con secrated the stolen aims proffered iron the dainty, filled apron.
 "God bless your pretty face, my sweet !'' the tramp said huskily. "1 can't refuse the food, for I'm starving But little Blossom, I'm none the les. sorry you should trouble your whit, conscience for wretch like me. z
 ahs locked al him Wislknlly. s,l