Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-07-18
Dispensing q Tramp.


was eating dinner at farmhouse
in Indiana when one Of the children
came in and announced that high
way tramp had called at the kitchen
door and asked for bite to eat The
farmer was very fat, very short, and
very bald-headed man, AMI he was
postmaster at the corners and justice
of the peace in and for tho county.
He had ssh called james, another
called Moses, and hired man who
was addressed as Tow5er. He sent
out word for the tramp to sit down
and rest, and as laugh went around
the table he explained:
after dinner | shall be pleased to
show you how we encourage tramps in
this section. This is evidently a new
man TO this part of the state or he
would never have called here"
After dinner we went out The
tramp was sitting under a cherry tree,
looking as comfortable as you please,
and evidently unsuspicious that any
thing except dinner was in store for
him. He looked TO me like bad man
TO fool with, but the farmer didn't
seem TO read him that way.
Now, them" he said, as he rubbed
his fat hands together, you will stand
up
What furp" asked the tramp.
ITO be kicked! | am going to boot
you from this spot down to that silver
cd telephone pole.
"But, object"
Cant help that As a fourth-class
postmaster of the United States of
America / command you TO arise"
"lf am kicked somebody else will
get hurtw cautioned the tramp as he
got up.
LAS one OF the justices of peace in
and for this county command you to
dispense" said the farmer, as he turned
the tramp toward the gate and admin
istered kick
Next instant he received aleft-hand-
er on the nose which knocked him in
to n confused heap on the grass, and
the tramp got out of his old coat and
prepared for business.
"Towser, pulverize HIM" shouted
the farmer as he struggled TO his
knees. "ln the name of the United
States command you to knock him
down.
Towser advanced, his big fists doub-
led up, but the tramp danced TO the
right and the left, and then sent in one
on the hired mans commissary de-
partment which doubled him up and
laid him among the hollyhocks.
james, Moses, make him prison
err" yelled the old man, as he plucked
n hanHft,1 nf an1 hold II hiG
bleeding nose.
The tramp chuclIled. There was fun
ahead.
The two boys were strapping young
fellows, strong enough TO knock down
an OK, and they were willing TO go in.
AS they stripped off the tramp backed
up between two current bushes, where
they could not flank him, and as they
advanced upon him he grinned all
ovo.. Tie played with them for
minute or two, and then drew long
breath, made three or four feints, and
piled them on the grass together.
Neither moved TO get up for r7... two
minutes. Meanwhile the tramp
rested ant looked over TO me and
queried:
you ant one OF the crowd?"
mo-
"And don't want me to disperse?'
mot particularly"
"All right. don't think the United
States and his gang want anything
more OF me just now, and as | have an
engagement down the road I'll move
on. When they get washed up and
the bandages on tell 'em l used to
scrap with the boys in Chicago in days
gone by, and thai held myself in and
let 'em of very mild. Good-by stranger.
Ia. Ia, old fatty"
And he had not been gone ten
minutes before the postmaster came
over to me and whispered:
did you ever!"-New York Sun.