Sharp County record., 1888-03-29

days.
At last the month came to an end
and the prisoner was turned OUT
This time the marshal marched him
beyond the town limits and left him.
He has got too much sense to come
back," :" reported the marshal to the
mayor.
1--WE may have been too hard on
him." responded the mayor. 81
sometimes think he is wrong in the
head"
"Well, it is too late to talk about it, "
said the other and the conversation
ended.
The tramp did not turn up again
that day, nor the next The worthy
marshal began to be worried, and the
mayor was little uneasy. Blue Rock
was such n small place that a sensa-
ton was always welcome, aud the un-
known prisoner had been the talk OF
the town Tor sixty days.
Hes hiding in the woods, and will
slip in here some night and burn the
town." said one.
This idea found great favor, and
that night the villagers found it diff
cult to sleep. On the following day
there was a railway excursion to a
point of interest forty miles away,
and every body of any conse quence in
the town went along The mayor and
council, the superintendent of the
depot and even the marshal, Joined
the party. The return trip was made
after dark, and the train sped along
at fearful rate of speed. The excur"
sionists were all in jolly humor and
were at the height of the festivities
when the frightful shrieking OF the
locomotive whistle startled every
body. The train came to full stop,
and among those who rushed out
were the mayor and marshal OF Blue
Rock.
At the head of the train they found
the engineer and conductor talking
with a man who held one hand to his
side from which the blood was stream
ing
Great God! 1t is our tramp!' ex'
claimed the marshal.
You are right" said the mayor.
MY poor fellow what is the mat
terP''
The tramp fell in fainting fit be-
fore he could ans wer the question.
You see," said the engineer, 'this
man was tramping through the woods
when he came to the track and found
two train wreckers tampering with
the rails. Well, this tramp, or what
ever he is, jumped on the two scoun-
drels like tiger He disabled one OF
them, but the other stabbed him in the
side and ran away. So he built fire
on the track, and as soon as | saw it l
stopped the train"
Just then several passengers came
up witt the wounded wrecker3 who
had been seriously injured y! the
tramp. The villain evidently thought
that he was mortally wounded, for he
made full confession.
81 think" said the Blue Rock may
Or "that we owe debt of gratitude
to our preserver. Many men in his fix
would not have turned over hand to
save us.
The tramp opened his eyes and
smiled family.
"Did you know we were on the
tramp asked the marshal.
"Oh, yes; Isaw you when you went
up the road this morning, and | hung
about here because saw those two
chaps acting suspiciously on the
track.
Come, now, who are you, and
where is your homeP" asked the mar
shall.
II am y gentleman. Ihave forgot,
ten my name, and all about things
that happened years ago. can't tell
you nothing more"
by George!" said the mayor, %
believe he tells the truth. "
1--WE must take him to Blue Rock
and care for him." said one of the
party. He shall have the freedom Of
the town and the best there is in it. "
Thank you," said the tramp, with
a smile. Il am satisfied now"
A spasm of pain contracted his
features. A gasp, a futtering of the
breath, and the unknown was dead!
Tramp or gentleman Who was he,
and what lay back of his misfortunes;
These were the questions the Blue
Rock excursionists asked each other
on their way home. Wallace I. Reed,
in Atlanta Constitution