Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-10-12
PRO TEN. TRAMP.

alarming condition when one Is :"
easy reach OF a restaurant OF the
home table. But hungry, cold' anu
not overclean, in little Wisconsin
settlement, with not cent in one
pocket, is to any but a professional
tramp an embarrassing position 70
be in.
1t was in just that position that
Tom Hamilton found himself one
SUMMER morning, He, with three OF
four others, had been spending q
couple OF weeks among the famous
trout streams a Wisconsin, lie hha
made friends with two noble red men
who served them as guides.
At last these pleasure-seeEers sep
arated. Toms vacation had NOT
| quite ended, so he was to remain
little longer.
The next day he discovered that ne
had lost his purse. Then he lost ms
hat in going over the rapids. nus
coat was demoralized; his boots had
lost the shine that distinguished
them on State street.
What few effects he had brought
with him were either in the hands OF
the rest of the party, for they had
taken charge of theluggage, or in the
hands of his aboriginal brothers
That morning his cogitations were
something in this wise:
"Well, Tom Hamilton this Is a
rather interesting state OF things.
Twenty miles from a railroad station;
with no money, no clean clothes, no
friends.
Il do charge you, Tom Hamilton,
with being tramp. That's what
YOU are; and now be true to your
character, sir, and make successful
tramp. Perhaps, however, You had
better take an account Of your stock;
in other words see what your re
sources are.
First, two soiled handkcrchiefs,
evidences of former responsibility; a
bit of rhyming composed and sung
by our campfire, evidence OF extra.
ordinary mentalpowcr; photograph
Of Cousin Bessie. showing that lhayC
known the refining influence Of femal,
friendship; a copy Of Tennyson, q
couple ofcigars, andanempty match
box. These are my possessions this
d. m. Now here il little hamlet
where | ought, according to poetic
tradition, to find every latch-string
out and every man ready to clasp ms
in his arms and call me brother
, ready to share the last crust ofbrca,
and the last cup of coffee with me"
Tom reconnoitered u little aftcI
the fashion ofa thoroughbred tramp
: One woman offered to give him hi
J breakfast in return for an hours De
votion to her wood-pile, but he full,
, intended to be consistent, and SO Ii
] declined her offer.
He noticed a large, plcasant-look
! ing farmhouse, set well back from tn
g road. The lawn in front was a
smooth as n floor. He noticed
t Hower-bed in the distance, gay wit
: bloom. He saw the hanging basket
in the porch, and he looked upon til
place critically as though he ha
meditated purchasing instead Of asl
I ing for breakfast.
i "This looks inviting. This hous
i has fine expression, forhouses has
expression as well as their inmate
and there is young lady swingin
:, in that hammock. | know she
= young, because she has on q ligh
Y blue dress, and any one not yOun
o ought to know better than to wef
light-blue. She has also fairhair an
:. blue or gray eyes.
3 "This is 81 somewhat ridiculous wa
for hungry man and q temporni
3, beggar to reason, but it shows TIL,
% my exposures and priyations ha,
n not impaired my powerful intellect
d He tried his fate at the kitch,
d door.
k "Sure, now, it's hungry you NJ
= and it's something to ate ye're war
ing"
If You please"
"rhen I'll be asking the mistress
Cant you give me somethil
81 without"
"Av coorse ! could, young ma
but ISIS Nora o'F'lahcrty that ohc
10 orders"
q Certainly, Nora, give him son
r thing" he heard a very sweet yo
10 say in answer to Nora's innuii
: "What sort of a looking man IL nc
70 "Ah, Miss Ruth he's a wicked.loc
IN ing chap, wild the blacklist eyes / a
ne see in a living cratur's head. and
10 just takes in everything mt n clan
); I'm afraid he's thafe. Miss Ruth.
"Did you leave him alone?"
.. "Not /. Maggie is there and sh,
re kape her two eyes on him"
n -.