The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-10-08
TOTES TRAMP"
He Proved That He Possessed a
Heroic Soul.
"You hung-ry?"

"YOu hungry"
Had Totie Oleson been little Older
he might of feared the man who stood
before him that bright Saturday MORN
ing, cycling with ravenous, woltsh
eyes the big slice of bread and butter
three years oid-a sunny. unsuspiciOus
child-and even the wretched dress
and fierce look of the tramp failed to
impress him with any fear of harm.
Perhaps it was the generous. fear
less manner in which he extended a
piece Of his bread that softened the
sullen CLEAN in the eyes which glared
at him.
Yes. babe, I'm hungry" and the
man almost snatched the piece from
the little fingers.
Totes blue eyes opened wide as he
saw the piece disappear. To his baby
comprehension, this man was just like
Hec. the big Newfoundland dog. who
would often stand pleading before him.
and as often would get the larger
share of his lunch. for his tender little
heart could not withstand the longing
in those big brown eyes. So now he
broke off another piece, and as that
disappeared almost instantly. he
thrust the remainder Of the slice into
his hand. and climbed up the steps call
ing out:
Mamma. mamma! more broadly
butter! hungry man"
The call brought Mrs. Oleson to the
>floor where half-defant the tramp
stood, for that such he was there was
no mistaking. For a moment she was
frightened. She was alone in the
house-the men at work in the fields,
her husband gone to the village. and
no neighbors within near call of their
prairie home.
But the baby clamored for bread,
and she made an effort to appear
brave.
..Are you hungry?" she asked.
sI'm starvcdw was the short reply.
She could readily believe it from
the gaunt figure and the restless, fam
ished look in his eyes, as they roved
past her to the open pantry door
beyond. She turned to it and came
back with a loaf of bread, piece of
meat and basin of milk, which she
put in his hands. and he sat down
upon the doorstep to make meal; but
not. before Tote had brought his own
little mug and placed it on the step
flor his use, sat down by his side to
watch the fauished man. with every
evidence of delight in his wonderful
appetite.
When the meal was finished the
man arose and entered the kitchen
with the basin.
THANK you, ma'am," he said
gruffiy. as if forced to an unaccustomed
courtesy; ''an' you needn't be feared
of me-" he added as Mrs. Olesen took
tho basin In her trembling hand.
I'm tramp, / know. an hard I'm
at that, but that baby yon'er give me
the first taste of bread is had fer two
hull days. an you needn't be a feared.
/ was most starved an sick an just
ready to drop; but I've got somethin'
in me now an I'm goin' to just stretch
out under that cotton WOOD ther an
1sleep bit-but you needn't be feared
He went out to the tree and threw
himself upon the grass beneath. Mrs.
Oleson, somewhat treasured, went ON
with her work, but her mind was still
so much upon her strange visitor that
with this and her baking, she forgot
about Tote whose first act after the
ragged fellow had stretched himself
out upon the ground. was to drag out
an old "settee" pillow with the kind
question:
Totes lamp want pilr?" and the
man had taken it.
AS Tote seemed to have appropri-
| ated the stranger as his own property.
he appeared satisfied to sit upon the
doorstep and watch his charge for
some time, and it was not noticed when
he left his post.
The sun was fast nearing the mid
day mark as the roll of Wheels