River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-05

The ramp confirmed her suspicious
by remarlIing. as he took the chair:
This u weather. and I've been in the
woods all night. presume need wash
ing the worst way.
The teacher" saw an opportunity fer
efforts in the sanitary line
Johnny" She said. show the young
man where the wash basin and water
bucket are, and YOU may give him a
clean towel from the shelf"
Johnny ol,eyed. He led the way: the
tramp followed him. and returned much
improved in appearance quite clean. in
fact-haying been. a. he said. ''brOomed
down" by the useful Johnny.
lie was steaming beautifully shortly.
and continued TO join in the exercises of
the school adding wood To the fire oc-
casiOnally, until nOon-time came. As
yet ne had done nothing desperate. but.
a. he eyed the cans and baskets, he re-
marked:
Il wish l had my lunch with me,
assure YOU. 1 missed my supper and
had no breakfast. l am conscious of a
vacuum"
Now, perhaps" thought Laura. 1.-THE
time has come"
She flew to her desk
Il nave some lunch here" she said.
Offering napkin filled by good Mrs.
Cliff with shOrt-cake. cheese and mince
pie. and a bottle Of milk.
The tramp looked at il.
THE spirit is unwilling, " he said. but
the flesh i weak. Ill take hair"
And accordingly Laura made a fair
division, thinking that this was very
amiable tramp. indeed. intended for bet
ter things. Indeed. he was handsome
even in the ease Of dry mud he wore.
She wished she were of the order of
people who can give advice gratis. She
wanted 10 reform him. But she could
not bring herself To preaching. Only
when he arose TO leave. the rain falling
no longer in torrents. but having sub
sided into a drizZle. she went To the door
with him.
Take this little path" she said. 1T
viii lead you straight To the village.
am sure you must be tired of such hard
ships a. sou experienced last night; and
if you will 90 to the parsonage, Mr.. Par
don will put you in the way of-Of-find-
ing your way into a better path. And
then she slipped twenty-five cents into
his hand
lie looked at her curiOusly.
You are very kind" he said, Il
hope you will never need half of any
bOdy's luncheon.
lie was gone. His voice tremblt d.
she was sure: but later she heard some
body laughing at distance. IL could
not have been that tramp.
She went home when school was over
and told the tale 10 Mrs. Cliff.
~ tramp" cried that good woman.
Its mercy you are alive. They've
got the souls Of gOrillas and expect if
you hadn't had So many boys about you.
you'd not be here to tell of it, This
region isn't often tramped. either. Its
of the track. l hope there's no more
in the woods.
Miss Penn sat down to her supper.
Half i luncheon had left her hungry,
but while she ate the pork and beans
with will there came a knock at the
door. At il stood servant in sort of
/ livery. Masters compliments. he
said. and handed her bOu1 ;et of hot
house flowers. from the stems of which
depended little note.
She opened the note at once. Within
was a silver quarter of a dollar and
these words:
NV DEAR Miss PENN: I return the twenty
five-cent piece. or rather another in its place
You were good 10 the tramp that hated TO
uudeceiye You. l went out shooting yesterday
lost my way IN She woods. tumbled into a mars
and was what Won me when / reached the
schOol-h0use al nine o'clock. / never was 50
hungry before. The half OF your luncheon was
delicious. win YOU permit me to call to make
my apologies Mrs. Gin knows who l am. and
can introduce as
Yours thankfully and sincerely.
ANDREW BELLAIRE.
Laura Penn read the note through
Z twice.
''IIe was not tramp. then. after all, g"
She said What an idiot he must think
me-, and She handed tine note 70 Mrs.
CliH
lie is son of old General Bcllaire.
the richest man in the place: just home
from travelling in Europe" cried the old
lady; and its just - plain as a pike
stan that he i smitten. and wants to
Z come a counting you.
Events proved that she was right. Tho
/ little teacher who shared her luncheon
with the tramp in the old school-house
/ in the wood i now Mrs. Bellairo.-S
I Y. Ledger.