Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-11-21
THAT Tramp"

aWy, Ella, child, what have you been
doine?" exclaimed Mrs. Winters, raising
her handf and eyebrows in mild surprise
as q slight, blue-eyed girl entered the
breakfast room with huge armful of
flowers. Great crimson roses mingled
their dark loveliness with pure white
buds. and rich velvet pansies lay half
hidden in q tapgle of heliotrope and
smilax.
"These are for Willie, mamma" re-.
piled her daughter, as she laid her prec.
ious burden on table, and, picking out
q yellow rc sebud, which well deserved
its name, "gold of Ohir," pinned it Low.
ingly on her mothers bosom-an act
which Immediately disarmed her of all
anger, Elias occasional depredations
among the flowers being cause of SER
ious disquiet to the good old lady.
Mrs, Winters had been widow for
many wears, her husbands California
pioneer-t aving, in mining parlance,
Anassed in his checks" leaving her in
comfortable circumstances. Mother and
daughter lived in quiet seclusion, sell
dom appearing in sJciety, and Ella, at
eighteen, was as sweet and innocent as
the flowers, which verify seemed klth
and kin of her own.
They had fewrelatives. Mrs. Winters
sometimes spoke of cousin who lived
avay up in the mining districts, whose
family she had never seen, and Ella was
secretly in love with handsome, bold
face, which looked at her saucily from
an Old deguerreotype case upon the man.
tel piece, whose laughing mouth she had
often furtively kissed, and wondered if
she should ever see him. And now. oh,
ioyful news, there was letter from John
Gsynor saving that his eldest boy, Viii
lie. wonld pay them visit. Il trust,
dear Margaret" ran the letter, "that he
will be the link which shall again unite
the chain of our old-time friendship"
Ella was very happy. At last she would
see her girlish ideal. To her fervid i'm
sgination he must be pleasant realiza-
ton of the "honest MINER" whose prim-
tive habits and manner are 80 graphl-
cally described by Twain and Miller
To-day was undoubtedly the very happi-
est in her life. The sun never seemed
30 bright, the very flowers appeared to
have gained more radiant colors, and
certainly emitted stronger and sweeter
perfume. The glamour of loving expec.
tation enveloped and beautified all
things in her eyes. This post is sure to
bring letter applising them of the time
his train would arrive. Ella pays but
little attention to her breakfast, and fire.
uuently casts an expectant look toward
the window. She is awarded at last by
the appearance of the gray-coated post
man, whose homely but goodnatured
face looks positively handsome in heI
eyes this particular morning. With
dexterous twist of finger and thumb, be.
gotten of long practice, he sends letter
flying up the garden path, and as Ella
runs lightly to meet him it lands softly
end significantly against her lips and
drops at her feet, when she picks it uI
with blush which puts all the preten.
tious pink flowers in the garden to
shame.
The letter is for her this time, the
first she has ever received from bel
cousin, and her hand trembles as she
tears open the envelope. She wake
back slowly through the garden, and a.
Mrs. Winters comes 20 the window, she
is Just in time to see the joyous looi
die out of the bright face, and an expires
sion of deep disappointment settle upor
it.
"Oh, mamma. Willie says he canno'
leave for month yet. Pm 80 sorry"
There was touch of cadence after thu
"sorry" viii b would have been very
sweet music to Mr.. Willie Gaynor's ear
could he have heard 1t. A big sigh &C
companied her words as she looked re
greatfully at the flowers which had beer
gathered especially for him, and which
now seemed to drop their lovely head
in unison with sorrow.
But young hearts are made of stronl
material, and blithsome Ella was sooI
absorbed in her household duties, ant
now not shade of trouble appeared up
on the smiling face.
Let not my readers find fault will
Miss Ella when 1 disclose the fact tina
she had a strong penchant for pet dogs
They were her playmates and faithful
protectors in childhood, and all tn
dignity ofyCung ladyhood lacked powe
to wesn her affe ctions from them now
Great shaggy fellows with affectionat
brown eyes were her special favoritei
but every canine, from the puny pug t
the slim and graceful greyhound, foam
place in her affections. They bad, q
she herself expressed it, afforded soli'
comfort and consolation" all her life
and she never had the least occasion t
find fault with them until to-day, whe
her most particular pet covered he
with shame and humiliation.
This is how it happened: Donnin
her large sunbat, and calling her pc
Niger and q similar satellite name
Ruby, she sailed forth for her usus
evening walk, which eventually ende
in q race or scramble on the way hom'
All went well until Niger ercountere
o csusual acquaintance in the shape OF
Q pugilistic looking black cur, who VIC
evidently on the warpath. He snufte
around Niger, which proceeding mul
in dog language have meant challeng
for Niger, to his external disgrace, i'm
mediately threw down the gloves, 90 I
speak (lending the while very unwl
ling ear to the sgonized entreaties OF 81
young mistress), wavered moment an
then went for HE opponant with VII
that promised to make things lively .
around. Ruby made Q few spasmodi
dashes toward the combatants, but deem
ing prudence the better part Of vale
in this instance, sat down at q sa1
distance and watched the figi
uneasily. Miss Ella was in despair, an
looked around in vain for assistanc
espying q stick she picked it up an
poked aimlessly in futile effort to sepa
ate the angry animals. She had ju
given up the attempt when, to her gre
reisf, 9 man appeared on the scene: Z
was grimy and tagged, but she took !
notice OF that, and begged him earnest
tosave her pet from the monster, vi
was seemingly bent on devouring hi!
An amused emile 6ickered around Il
mans mouth for an instant a. he look'
at her, then. grasping dog With es'
hand, he flung one of them clear ov
the fence, and was about to ding q
other in an opposite direction when Fl
L.. 10 mat nIaRVQ n