South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-02-10

hours running under tie rays Of ,
hot August sun, Miss Todd ha,
been forced to acknowledge tina
the rooater's endurance was great
er than her own, aud I" leave hin
painting IN the wood lot while sh'
went painting into the house, which
che had all to herself that day. he
maid-of.all work having gore to ,
picnic several miles distant.
Miss Todd was not only very tired
hut very warm, as we'll. One sho,
had burst opcn at one side, her eing
ham apron had been torn by a sic.
ious black berry bria-, and her hair
usually so smoothly coiled. vat
scattered owe. her shoulders in the
widest confusion.
Plague take the rooster!' she o.
ljacuiated, as The sank into q chat,
and famed herself with the remnant
of her Ringham apron. i wish he
Was In Guina.'
At this moment che heard the gate
of the yard open and q man. step on
the walk.
Land o mercy who ken that be {?
and roe in this state 7 mnttered Miss
Tod AMI she leaned out OF the
window to investigate through the
screen Of wild grape vines.
She gave one look at the vi itor
and drew her head in with a jerk.
| am sick to death o. them tramps:
she exclaimed, and the imputlence Of
EN- coming rouni to the front door
jest like they was company come on
invitation.
She stalkcd through the entry and
brew the front door open with such
| violence that the man outside started
hack as if lie had received blow.
He was q mild looking MAJ in q
shabby gray coat, an old {, shioned
neckcloih and shoes 'hickly coated
, with dust. He returned very depre
cstingly Miss Todd 8 searching look.
well, you're a shabby, dirty look :
ing figure, must say exclaimed the
nri a'ed sp'nster, who bad never been
noted for her sympathy with the la
~. 'Aut whet din you please to
want? A dinner, doubt not. You
tramps ALWAYS mensge TO come a.
round jast at dinner time
But be: IAN the man, in meek
protest, T.
Don't make ary excuses inter-
rupied Miss Todd. l know 'em all
ty heart. You're hungry sup
pose--tbev all are. You've walked
y long way they all bave. You've
been unfortunit-they'v we all been
unfortuuit. Well. l suppose I'm to
be pestsred With trapps as long as
1--we here. might as we'll make up
my mind to il aud bsar IL with pa
iirnce. There's hardly day but
one Of them stops to ask for a din-
ner. But they don't get It Tor moth
ing. ! can ,ell you. II you choose
tn go in the garden and hoe around
those vegetables, IN give you din
ner and not gruh2e it. either
During this fi,w of words the man
had stood silen', bewildered look
on his face. As Miss Todd g opped
be said gently:
\Certainly> ma>am< but
\Oh> | knew how it would b.
shriliy interrupted the spinster.
There's >bu'>< of course. What
you tTamps would do without that
word Inn sure can't tell. You're
like all of then--too law TO work
You'd rather starve a week than TO
spend an hour in any honest work
IF you wish me TO, l.
Il do wish it. It's my duty to wish
il. There's The rake and hoe by the
~oodshed u d see that you make a
clean job Of it. If you do it at all.
Half way measures don't suit me,
can tell you. suppose your fingers
arc stiff AL Of e have stiff fingers.
It's the work they do that stiffens
EN-. of course, satlrically Nov you
can we'd and get good dinner, or
you can 90 on tramping without one.
Miss Todi closed the door and
Went back TO the kitchen, leaving the
man TO do as he pleased about the
vegetable patch.
Sue looked from the window pres
emily and saw him takinZ up the hoe
hN iu hbSttbhih WhN
gave her the impression that he was
seriously in doubt whether to enter
the garden or go out Of the yard by
the way he had come in.
'Pm a public benefactor.' she NUT
tered, as the sound Of descending
hoe reached her ear n moment later
! do sight for the improvement Of
my fellow man. Most women would
have given that tramp n slice Of bread
and meat and sent him off But my
conscience wont let me send 'em off
In that way. can't reconcile my.
self TO putting the bread of id.eness
IN any creatures mouth. Them
tramps as comes To this house gels a
taste of labor
And Miss Todd thought with jus.
tifiable pride how many times this
practice had resulted in the wedding
Of her garden and the Hing up Of
her W lodshed,
The man worked on in the hot sun
wedding rakIng and boeing, with an
industry and skill which surprised
ard pleased the hrifty spinster, who
looked out OF The window occasionally
as she mAde her preparations for the
noon-day meat.