The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-04-26
A JOKE ON GRANDMA.

How they shouted and laughed Just
with thinking of what fun it would be
Winny and Joe sitting on the porch
steps in the sunshine that was very
bright and warm for the first day of
April.
wen be Just as SOBER" said Win
ny, land not laugh nor anything"
"And we'll ask for cold bite" CUR
gled Joe.
"We'l have to dress all up funny,
Joe, so she won't know u.s."
"0f course" said Joe.
"And don't you laugh said Winny.
You're always n f'rever laughing,
Joe"
"But 1 won't this time" declared
Joe, very earnestly; land don't you,
either"
"No, Street said Winny.
Now if some little bird the same lit
tie bird that is always telling stories to
the big folks-had carried this chatter
to Grandma Nelson's ears, then Grand
ma Nelson needn't have taken second
look at the two funny little stragglers
that walked up to her door that alter
noon, to know Just who they were. But
the little bird, for wonder. kept it all
to himself; so when Grandma Nelson,
sitting by the window, heard the gate
latch click and saw those queer little
figures, she was greatly surprised. She
took off her glasses and rubbed them
and put them on again, and stared out
through them hard, and, really and
truly, she frowned.
more tramps! declared said she.
''Dear mel
Grandma Nelson was talking to her.
self, of course, and she spoke good
deal louder than there was any need of,
because she wasn't a bit hard of hearing.
She spoke so loud that the two little
tramps heard her, and you can't think
how qu erly they acted about it. One of
them caught up the corner of his waist
coat, which hung nearly to his feet, and
hung it over his mouth, tight; and the
other one pulled his wide trimmed
straw has over his face, until not even
so much as the tip of his chin could be
seen.
"Why, what ais emp" said Grand
ma Nelson to herself, looking more and
more astonished every minute. "Really,
I'm almost afraid to go to the door!'
But she did go, when pretty soon she
heard q soft little knock; and she
looked down quite seriously on the big
hat and the long waiscoat.
What will you have to-day?' said
she.
The corner of the waistcoat came up
again in a hurry, and there was fun
nv little explosive sound behind it. The
straw hat was tipped lower, too.
"We'd like to have "a cold bite,
MANI Oh, such a deep, gruff voice
it was that came from under that big
hat, no wonder Grandma Nelson felt
frightened little.
II don't make practice of giving to
tramps, said she. ''Are you very
hungryp'
"Yes, ma'am."
Its only three o'clock, said Grand.
ma Nelson. Didn't you have any din
ner?"
"N-yes, ma'am."
al suppose you've walked a long
WAYS this afternoon" said grandma.
The two little.tramps looked at each
other, and there were signs of another
explosion. The waist eOat was brought
into use again. The little tramp in the
straw hat did all the ia king.
mo, ma am, we haven't, gerry long,
sad he.
II suppose you're willing to worl
and pay for something to eat?" sale
Grandma Nelson.
Then the two little tramps began Il
feel sure that she meant plum cake; S,
they answered very promptly;
"Oh yes m"
Very we'll" said grandma, "yo,
may split and bring in two armfuls o
kindl ng-wood. and ill my wood-b box
besides. There's a Ratchet in tn
shed"
OF course they could do that; an,
they made very short work of it in
deed. Grandma Nelson didn't believ
she ever saw two little tramps work 81
willingly and well before, and she SAT-
so.
Are you Gerry hungry" she aske'
again. And what cOtttd she mean bu
pIum-cake, in big thick slices?"
"Oh yes, a'am,' they both an
swered, eagerly. Grandma began talk
ing to herself again as she went towar'
the pantry door.
There's that cold beef" said sne
1--WE never can eat it; and l suppos
they want something real hearty t
travel on. And I'll give 'em som
bread-and butter with it"
Oh dear! how the faces of those tw
little tramps fell. They didn't wan
, cold beef, and they didn't want bread
d-butter, and they did want plum
/ cake. They had fooled Grandma Mel
son almost too nicely. They wOuldn'
fool her another bit. So off came tn
big hat and the long waistcoat; and on