St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-10
CHARITY TO A TRAMP.
Or How Poor Little Ruby Becahn
Mistress of RiVervieW.


seemed doubly CHEEKY and inviting in con-
trast to the cold and darkness outside.
In a luxurious easy chair reclined far
girl, her white hands resting idly III her zap
and her eyes fixed on the glowing ehDers.
Presently she spoke, in tone that was hlII
testing, half impatient:
''Ruby, do put that everlasting darnmg
away. 1t positively tries me to have you
sit there stitching away as if your life de-
pended on it,"
81 am sorry to weary you Maude, but
have one more hole to darn. Dear Inc!
What a big hole it isl' she went on, sur
Yeying it with comical dismay.
She was not pretty. yet no one who knew
Ruby would ever have thought OF GAZING
her plain. She possessed no trace OF her
cousins fair, stately beauty, but her sweet
face had an attraction that few could With
stand. She differed from her cousin as
much in disposition as she did in feature,
for Maude was proud, selfish, and diScon-
tented, although she was petted only
child. while little Ruby, dependent
orphan, was as happy as the day was long,
and loved nothing better than to make eV-
eryone else as happy as herself.
The two girls made pretty picture as
they sat there in the bright, coy room, and
so thought a stranger who paused for mo-
ment outside the window to admire the
scene. Only for moment did he pause
there. then cropping his way through the
darkness up to the door, he knocked.
Ruby sprang to obey the summons. AS
she opened the door she saw man standing
before her in worn, decidedly shabby suit
of clothes. He raised his hat.
''Can you kindly give me shelter here for
the night?" he began, but before he had
time to say more Maude sprang to her feet,
eXclaiming angrily:
''Ruby shut that door, this instant! It's
a tramp, and we shall all be robbed and
murdered in our beds if we let him in"
But tender-hearted Ruby found 1t hard to
obey her cousins command.
81 am sorry," she said gently, trying to
soften her Cousins harsh words, ''but L am
afraid you cannot stay here"
Can you tell me where / can find lodg-
ing?" asked the stranger. 81 have been i'll,
and cannot spend this cold night in the
fields"
Ruby hesitated.
''Wait moment, pleased" she exclaimed
hastily, then obeying at last Maude's re-
peated commands to ''shut aud lock that
door," she darted upstairs to her own little
room.
She drew from its hiding place a little
gold dollar, one of her chief treasures, and
fastening down stairs again, she opened the
door.
''What are you going to do?" asked
Maude angrily, laying q OBTAINING hand
upon her, and trying to shut the door again
in spite of Rubys efforts. 81 wont let you
give this miserable fellow any money. He
will only spend it for liquor and get drunk
on it. Are you crazy, Ruby?" she asked,
as the girl darted past her out in the porch.
''Here is some money, poor man." she
painted breathlessly. ''There is little hotel
about mile farther down the road, and you
can get supper and lodging there. l wish
could let you stay here"
The stranger raised the little hand that
proffered the coin respectfully to his lips
and thanking her, turned away and vanished
in the darkness.
81 would like to give you a good shak-
ing" said the angry Maude, as she closed
and locked the door, with rather umneces-
sary vehemence. 81 believe you would have
been perfectly willing to let that miserable
tramp stay here all night if it hadn't been
or me-"
81 don't believe he was tramp at ALL
Maude," protested Ruby. ''He looked like
gentleman, though his clothes were rather
shabby, I must confess. He looked sick,
too. l should have been dreadfully uncOm-
Portable to think that perhaps he might have
had to wander about all night. when we are
so cool and comfortable"
''You're a silly goose" was Maude's only
reply, and Ruby said no more, though she
secretly rejoiced in the thought of the com
fort that her ong-treasured gold coin would
procure the poor wanderer
A week later there was great excitement
among the young ladies i'll this part of the
country The owner of the Riverview. a
beautiful country-Seat in the neighbOrhoOd,
had returned after an absence of twelve
years. He was a single gentleman, and in
every feminine heart there burned a secret
hope that she might become the mistress of
Riverview. When Invitations for a recep-
ton were issued, the excitement rose to
fever heat, and nothing else was talked or
thought of for days.
Even little Ruby had share in this de-
lightful hustle of preparation. Her uncle
had laughingly declared that she should have
a chance at Mr.. Earle with all the rest OF
the girls, and had hidden her choose a new
dress for the occasion.
Maude stood before her mirror when the
important evening came, conscious that she
would have no rival in beauty. She was
really beautiful i'll dress of creamy Satin
with folds of filmy lace half cOncealing.
half revealing her rounded arms and grace
full neck
Ruby was quite eclipsed by her cousin.
magnifcence in her plain dress of white
muslin, Topped with punches of scarlet ger
aniums; but her face was radiant without a
trace Of envy shadowing her happiness.
When they had taken off their wrappingS
and descended to the brilliantly Illuminated
parlors Ruby grasped her cousins arm with
cry of surprise:
Look Maude; look. there's my trampl'
The weather-worn suit had been replaced
by faultless evening costume, but Ruby
recognized the dark eyes and clear-cut fea
lures.
Maude recognized him to, and he
naughty face grew pale with vexation anC
disappointment, for she had not doubted blu
that she would be able to win the homag,
of the master of Riverview. That woul,
not be possible now. She could never atom
for the harsh, cruel words to the homeless
wanderer who had pleaded for shelter un
der her roof.
Everybody was surprised and some of tn,
most aspiring young ladies not a little in
dgnant when the master of Riverview paiC
the most marked attention to quiet it'll
Ruby.
''Do you recognize this?" he asked her
before the evening was over, directing he
attention to little gold coin that hung o.
his watch-chain.
Ruby blushed.
please excuse me-" she faltered. 80
thought you were poor and hadn't an
money to pay for lodging anywhere, an
you looked sick"
ST must explain to you how happene
to be asking for lodging" he said, lookin
tenderly at the downcast, blushing face
81 had not been well for months and m