Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-05-28

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fore you take him any further"
This, of course, was stumper for the /
policemen. They had no authority what
ever.
''But," said one of them, show about
that reward?"
At this moment button in Mr..
Drane's Bowery suit gave way.
Jimmy, of course, had explained the /
prospective reward to the policemen
and had held out its terms as induce |
ments for their action Neither Mr.. !
Drane nor the tramp knew exactly what /
to do
well, the fact is" began Mr.. Drane. |
''You understand" said the tramp at |
the same moment, ''Mr. Drane is not a |
crazy man; he is my friend and rela- |
tive"
But" interrupted again one of the |
policemen, "'that reward? We don't pro-
nose to stay out all night looking for |
this gent and the reward without some |
return"
And here Mr.. Drane's right knee be-
gan to peep through his trousers. His
economical suit was coming rapidly and
naturally to pieces.
docs it look very bad?" he whispered
to the tramp, as he felt seam in the
back burst.
1T looks like bloody MURDER" said
the tramp, in an undcrtone; land
speaking of that, how do you think
those Kansas City made pantaloons of
yours fit me?'
Tell EN- you'll give EN- check at
the Beaver House at three o'clock this
afternoon" whispered Lawrence.
The tramp knowing that Lawrence had
lots of money fell into this plan, and
the police, knowing that they had no
authority, Immediately disappeared.
But not so Jimmy. Jimmy hung on un-
til the tramp assured him that he and
Drane were going to the parsons house
to elucidate together one or two prob
lens that were not yet clear to either Of
them. During all the conversation that
this involved, Lawrence discreetly kept
his mouth shut, and presently Jimmy
dashed off presumably to give column
of copy to his newspaper for the last
edition. After this the two men paused
on the sidewalk and Mr.. Drane began:
my dear man, there is something
about you, in addition to my clothes,
which makes me think that you are or
ought to be gentleman"
Sir" responded the tramp, ''there is
| something about you besides that ILL
fitting Bowery suit that makes me re-
gard you as destined to better things
than you have endured during the past
week"
Then both men laughed and after that
they shook hands heartily.
81 say" said Lawrence, ''what is your
name, and how the unmentionable
fiend did you get into a tramp's life?"
"My name," responded the other, sis
! plain johnson, baptised Richard j.
| was at one time country schoolmas-
t ter, which may account for my lapses
/ into fairly correct English when talk.
/ Schoolmastering, found, did not pay
| for man who had acquired champagne
! tastes on beer income, and SO deter
mined to travel. Experience of an un-
! usually severe nature undermined my
| convictions respecting meuns ct tuun1,
and l therefore descended to theft. But
it is only fair to explain that this de-
scent in morality came from the fact
/ that soon after gave up school-teaoh-
! ing went into politics"
''Unfortunate," murmured Mr.. Drane.
81 was an alderman" continued the
tramp, 'and / voted various franchises
to railroad corporations and escaped in
dictment / never knew how. Then,
having my hands in the public treasury,
otherwise the peoples pockets, for two
or three years, 1 lost all sense of de-
corum and honesty"
/ ''You are to be pitied, not con-
demned," said Mr.. Drane
"So," continued the tramp, 81 am not
altogether bad. That, with your kind
ness, you seem to see; but the fact Is
clothes as these of yours, / would not
have been tempted to commit the
crimes that have brought trouble upon
YOU"
''That is doubtless true" answered
Mr.. Drane, obviously recalling his pc
culiar adventures; 'but it was very
wrong of you to take away not only my
garments but my name and credit as
we'll"
''Ah, sir,' replied Mr.. Johnson, smil-
ing. sit is an old saw that necessity
knows no law But let US not
waste time in argument. came
here to seek my wife, and when
have found her you shall be
fully repaid in money for the misery
which have caused you"
They had been walking along inde-
terminedly, and here Mr.. Drane stopped.
johnson" he said, "you are in bad
fix Your wife is not only poor fnan-
cially, but so badly off that she wants to
claim me for husband"
Johnson opened his mouth wide with
amazement, and as he knew not what to
say, Lawrence continued:
''Whatever claim she had to riches she
distracted from another person, as you
took my clothes. | have seen her this
morning. She claims to be Mrs. Drane,
and"
"You Internal scoundrel!'' exclaimed
Johnson, and he seized Mr.. Drane by
the collar. Rich or poor, she is my
wife, and if you have gone and got her
away from ne I'll break your back and
put you in the asylum again to boot"
Mr.. Drane shook off his antagonist
easily.
i'Don't you call me names" he cried,
'sor I'll have you arrested for theft!'
johnson cooled down at once.
''Where's my wife?" henesked pres
emily.
Come with me-" said Mr. Drane,
''and I'll show you, and he forthwith
led the way to the parsons house. just
rs they arrived at the door two men
hurried up who greeted Lawrence effu'
sively. They were relatives of his
from Kansas City, arrived by a way
train from New York, johnson hav-
ing caught an express at the same
hour The relatives looked at Law
renee sharply and seemed to wondeI
whether he was all right or not, but he
refrained from explaining himself until
they had come again into the parson':
study