Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-08-08

4
she should do so.
One evening just at sunset, eight
years after Inza's marriage to joe
Gray, o bewhiskered, footsore, weary
appearing tramp" turned into Mr.
Gray's dooryard His clothes were
ragged and his entire appear,
ance was that of a man who had seen
hard times indeed. He came along
the path with q slow tired step. Near
the door little dark-eyed girl was
playing, and the tramp paused to gaze
steadily at her for several minutes.
Inza who was standing by window
with baby in her arms, regarding
the stranger with some alarm, saw
him dash tear from his eye. Then
sho knew that there was nothing to
fear from him.
just then Joel came from the barn
yard with n Drumming milk pail in
either hand. The stranger turned to-
ward him as he approached and asked
If he could have something to eat and
a nights lodging.
ut is asking much, / know" said
the tramp, in an unsteady voice, "but
il | do not find shelter, | must sleep
beneath the open sky with only Gods
green grass for bed. | have seen
better days, sir, but luck always was
against me-"
Joel Gray had no particular love for
tramps, yet there was something about
this man that won his sympathy. As
q result, the stranger was given some
supper and permission TO stop at the
farm house that night.
The tramp ate his bread and milk in
silence, but INA was conscious that q
pair OF sad blue eyes were watching
her every moment.
The man did not eat much for one
who professed to be so hungry, and
when Inza spoke to him he replied in q
low, mumbling manner. When he had
finished and moved away from the
table, little Lucy, Inza's oldest child,
came to him and deliberately climbed
upon his knee. He gathered her up
in his arms, while his whole frame
trembled with emotion. The child
lay there trustingly, passing her fin
gers through the mln's beard and
grooming to herself. And thus he held
her while the twilight shadows gath
cred and she stopped her soft singing
to close her eyes in slumber. The
shadows concealed the tears that ran
silently down the mans face and were
lost in his beard. No one saw him as
he tenderly kissed tho sleeping child.
That night Joel Gray's buildings were
burned to the ground. To this day it
is a mystery how the fire caught, but
sometime in the night the family was
aroused by the smoke and flames. The
fire had already seized the house in its
fatal grasp, and with difficulty Mr..
Gray and Inza escaped, the latter with
tho babe in her arms. Close behind
them the tramp came staggering out oil
the burning house. Joel caught him
iiercely by the throat.
This is yonr work." shouted the
farmer, hoarsely.
The stranger dashed aside his assail
ants hands Us he replied:
"As God is my judge, it is not"
INA seized her husbands arm, *
she shrieked:
"Lucy! Lucy! Whore is she?"
"Grclt God! groaned Joel, as he
staggered as if about to fall. "She
must be in there
Il will save her." declared the tram
quietly, as he turned, )rang up tho
steps and vanished through the door
way into the burning building.
Every moment hat-followed seemed
like an age OF suspense and horror tt
Joel Gray and his wife. Suddenly /
dark figure appeared at one of the
windows, and all about him the fierce
40 inn
He held IL large bundle in his arms
There was a crash of glass, dark mas
shooting downward, a heavy thud, ant
the tramp lay at their feet.
Joel sprang forward and unwrappet
| the blanket that enveloped the form o
his little daughter, and to his Joy founC
| her alive, though nearly smothered
The stranger lay quite still where h.
| had fallen.
The farmer bent over the brave res
cucr of his daughter, and as he turn
ed the tramp upon his back, the man
eyes opened, and he murmured:
INA"
There was something familiar il
that voice to touch the very depths o
the woman's soul. Quickly she ben
over him.
'Inza, don't you know me?" h
murmured.
'Denay" she cried, wildly, Denny
is it you? Have you come back afte
all these yearsw
YES, have come back, and
brought my old luck with me. hav
come back to die! am going to IT,
nv luck in another country, and will
the Master to guide me, | think it vii
turn for the better The gold tina
seemed to be reflected against the sun
set sky was not for me. This life ha
been failure, Inza, but | hope t
make amends up yonder.n
And while Joel Gray, the thrift
farmer, worked hard to save his cattl
and part Of his tools, Dennis Lowry
the man of hard luck and poets soul
lay dying with his head resting i
Inza's lap. He told her all his sa
tale, his struggles, his sutferings an
failures. He whispered of blow o.
his head that had deprived him OF hi
reason for years, and how, when h
was once more himself, he had hasten
ed to find her. He loved her still, an
his dying wish was that she might b
happy always.
And so, with the red light OF tn
burning house all about him, h
breathed his last in Inzas arms, happ
| with her kiss unOn his Inns -Yankp