Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-03-12

a
"Oh, yes"- grim ohuckle-..I
lived somewheres- anywheres. Use not
like some folks, must have every thing
tip-top. No; that's notmy style. Ye've
a big house, In course. and lots of slaveys
to wait on ye. I lives just where can,
and has to fend for mysen, and don't
often get my meals regular" s5-o
And the cruel contrast between him.
self and his companion filled the tramp's
heart with bitter thoughts. Why have
some folks all the good things Of life
and others none of them? Here was .
man no older than himself with fine
clothes on his back and horse to carry
MIN; whilst he, poor fellow, had to
trudge along ankle deep in the mud
with scarcely whole thread to cover
him. Why, the very horse was long
way better off and more cared for; it at
least had warm, dry stable and plenty
OF food waiting for it, whilst he had
never q resting-place nor crust of
bread to eat.
Again the CHEEKY kind tones startled
him: But you have friends some-
where, I suppose?"
mo; not me! There's never a sim
gle soul, guv'nor, in this wide world as
cares rap for me; and when 1 lies
down some day and dies in ditch,
there'n moan be, man, woman or child,
as III miss me. None III be sorry,
'ceptin' the parish buns as III
have to put me underground, and
they'll grudge doing of that even." Jim
gave short, ugly laugh and slouched
on, tho water squish, squish, squishing
out OF the gaping rents Of his old boots
at every step. He quite expected the
'swell" to ride off now and leave him to
the rapidly-deepening gloom and the
wild, cherries night; but the horse was
kept steadily alongside of him, and his
rider spoke again.
Cant you get into regular work and
leave this tramp business?"
mo; there's none'll have the likes of
me. don't look respectable enough"
Nonsense, man. Don't get down on
your luck, but pick yourself up. Now,
look here; will give you chance N.Y.
self if you will take it,"
Jim could not believe his ears. Some
one actually talking to him as if he
was an honest man, and not some sort
OF vermin or venomous beast. A real
"tip-top gentleman" TOO. He must be
muddled. But the brown eyes were
looking cody enough at him, and their
owner was saying: "Well, what do you
say?"
Eyer don't know what be; I'm bad
lot! I've been in quod oft enough"
blurted out Jim, feeling somehow he
could not take his new-found patron in.
II daresay you have, and deserved it,
too. But l believe you can pull round
yet, if you like; and, as 1 said, will
give you the chance of regular work and
pay. Will you take it?'
In the depth of Jim's warped nature
there glimmered something like spark
of gratitude and dim longing after
new life, for moment; but old habits
were too strong for him, and the clouds
closed darker again, as he shook his
head and said in tones which tried to be
civil: mo, guv'nor; yer mean we'll; but
it's no 60 now. I'm no good for any
thing but cadging and tramping, an I
doan want to work for any master-an'
won't neyther."
He expected an angry lecture and
round abuse for refusing; but the other
said, quietly, stroking his boot with the
handle OF his hunting-crop: ''That is
dangerous way of thinking, my friend,
and will get you into trouble again.
You are fool not to try and pull up .
bit; but you know your own affairs best.
Well, here is supper and bed for you,
anyway. Look out" He tossed halt
crown to Jim with careless. easy good
nature, and, shaking up his horse, trot-
ted off with nod and ''Good luck"
How costless q word or two of SYM
pathy are, and yet how priceless they
may become. How easy to be gracious,
and yet how far-reaching the results.
We scatter kindly greetings here and
there as we journey on Life's roadway,
and 10! they spring up bright flowers to
gladden. some sad, weary wayfarer. We
perform thoughtlessly now and again
trivial services of courtesy and forget
them; but they shine in lone loveless
hearts as glittering stars to cheer the
midnight sky.
Hugh Boynton, smoking his high
priced Havana after dinner that even
ing in the luxurious ease of his favorite
lounging-chair, had utterly forgotten
all about the few words and the silver
coin which he had thrown to the tramp
whom he had overtaken as he rode
home from hounds. Jim, curled up un-
der the lee of a clover rick, turned the
half-crown over and over in his hand.
and thought of how for once in his life
he had been spoken kindly to by real
gentleman.
Five dreary years had passed over
Jim's luckless head, their monotony
broken by police-court, prison-cell and
vagrant-ward experiences. He had wan
dered up and down some dozen counties
and seen the inside of most of their
jails, and now, as Christmas drew near,
had drifted toward York; not that he
had any particular reason for getting
there, but because it lay in his way
north, and he happened to be making
In that direction; why, not even he him
self knew, for north, south, east and
west were alike to him. He had had a