Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-06-06
THE RED BEGGAR.

little cottage hy tNc ID 9 81 the road to
the town. Il WAS hunbl,. bat an about
Il, everything. was always neat and trig,
so il was evident that Il was not The
dwelling Of either sloth or want. a
honeysuckle climbed up over the door,
and CAV flowers blcomed ia beds before
il: while on the south was the stand for
che bees. where Ia straw thatcled hives
they stored honey ell day long in sunny
weather.
In the cottnge Lived an old man named
Paul and his wife Borbarer. They were
xery fond Of each other. and lad it not
been that they had no children they
would have been as happy as the dny was
long. As Il was. they tried not 60 miss
TOO much the prattle Of little ones which
the storks would not bring 10 them, but
went on their way in life. thrifty and
Kind to the poor. and doing good when
il offered.
In the morning Paul would go afief
TO his woie.. while Dame Iarbarcr VOC
remain at homo 10 do whatever house
hold tasks needed attention and after
ward to spin smooth thTeadso Of fax with
her disiaH. to be sold IN tile market Of
AlAf NlM Vt ~ ~ NKNAAA AA NANAsA AVN
which she made clothing for herself and
her husband. or. what quite ms often
happened, for some poor and unfortunate
H%eighbor.
Dame Darbarer was always Kind to the
Leggars who came her way. They seem
I'D to her so unfortunate in not having u
lone that she could not help giving
them at least food and now and then an
article Of clothing. and she was almost
always patient even when their requests.
~ sometimes happened. took almost the
form Of commands.
Tie poor creatures know no better.
the would say. ''They have nothing.
not even sense enough TO know how TO
b. grateful; but that does not matter.
do not help them because they beg
prettily, but because they need"
But orcp upon a time there came a
beglar who tried tho patience Of Dame
Bsrbarer quite beyond even her cndur
gnce. 1t was ono afternoon when il was
almost time for her husband to return
from the lcll. and narharer wax hasten
ing to get his evening meal ready foi
him. She bad bcen to the town to sell
some thread. and had been detained, 81
that she lad NOT tirieon her return To
take a wheaton cake ,for his supper, as
She had intended. She had only a very.
little breud In the house. and whcn q
beggar came alcngnHd Iather %inpudently
demanded ii bit Of Dread aud cheese she
pas 10th 10 give IL to BIN.
The beggar was by no means a prepos
sessing loo sing individaa His dress wa.
all Of red ~nltiongls Il was so faded ant
weather leaten. SO tattercd and torn tbai
It was hard 70 tell what it looked like il
It's best DAYS Tie rS.aaiEs Of u tx
cocks Feather was STUCK i%auntily IN hi
cap and JAGGED cnds Of faded red ribboi
fastened his donblet Long black hal
dangied III tangled locks over his fore
head. and. with his shaggy black cyo
3ffoWs. half md ms piercing eyes. Iii
nose WIS sharp and thin. and there wal
10 his nostri.s a strange curve whicl
made his face Que not at all progresses
ing. Add 10 al this that he was lam,
Of one foot and that lie had something
Of a hump between his shoulders. and he
was not at all die sort of man one would
wish 10 meet On q lonely road.
Bame Berhascr heaved Il sigh as sh,
locked 1T him. and lesitated. while til,
strange rcd figure leered at her in a man
Drr that srnta cold chill down her spine
She did not wish TO share the little brea,
there was for Pauis supper with thi
fantastic looking creature. hut she wa
too charitable to turn him away withou
a morsel So che made the Leggar 81
clown upon the doorstep. and then sh
brought him aamall piece Of bread IN
Il big piece Of cheese. hoping that III
size Of the one would make up for ii
sinallness Of the othcr.
The red beggar fell to eating with tn
appetite Of a hoard Of locnsts and rs
lie had eaten nothing for IL month. an
IL was hardly the twinkiiag OF m eye b,
fore ne had finished the bit OF bread CON
pietely.
please. mistress" = he said beseechinl
". please, mistress, could you not Civ
me just a little wee bit OF bread 10 ca
with the rest of my cheesef"
The dame, although this was exactl
what she did notlWish to do. cut him
slice of bread andNave il 70 him wit
the best grace She could manage.
The ragged rascal fell to eating eve
faster tlfan before. and almost hefor
she had laid down the bread knife Il
had made an end to lis cheese.
"Please, kind mistress. he said NOR
humbly than before, please. kind mi'
tress, couldn't you give NE q morsel Q
cheese 10 90 with my breadF'
This also was Dame Barharer fain [
do; and hungfily us the fire %devouIing
field Of ripe grain did che yarlet max
way with his bread.
please, good. kind mistress he sal,
.'please, good. kind mistress. could yo
not give me a very lit.le, wee Hiorsei =
bread "a e.t with my cheesef
And 10 cut short a story which thong
it would ~ long IS tie telling was nc
lons ia the d0ine. tie red beggar woul
conlriye first 10 MAKE an end 70 his hrea
ana then 10 make am end to his chess
begging with ever increasing INSISTING
fof merecf ON q dion % the oihei
lmtl he hud inana from Danl
Barbafer ertry inorsci "a Bread tAel
Yves Ia the hCuse, aud the boar Of III
good man return already striking. An
when an was gone the inpudeni and "a
grateful rod rarIpf fhnaV lnrlt lia Ina