The morning call., 1891-02-11
THAT TRAMP.

. down, sweeping, busting and cleaning 1t.
The sunlight streamed in through the
creeper over the windows. which L had
opened, aud the sound of the birds singing
outside made me wish Ihadn'tSo much work
TO do in that dusty ROOM Suddenly heard
the click of the gate-!atch. Somebody COM
in. and me with my head wrapped ND in a
dustar and my skirt turned up! Then there
was the rap Of knuckles on the panel of the
front door, which was open. Thinking it
was Widow jenkins little boy come over to
borrow the Ratchet to chop kndlings, for
be came regularly every day, stepped into
the entry
1t was a tramp. lie was young man with
heavy beard. dressed in blue canvas and
straw hat, but with that stumbling and halt
ashamed look which vagabonds seem to
carry with them everywhere.
New our home was seldom visited by
tramps. l. was a good piece of the road,
and they generally stopped at the black
smiths on the corner or at Deacon Thomas
half way up the hill.
"What do You want?" l said sharply
But l relented minute afterward. He
looked at me so pite0usly; he seemed so
hot and tired and dusty that felt sorry for
him.
was always considered the fool of the
family. 1 was eyerybody's slave. If the
boys wanted an errraud run or button
sewed on it was always, "Sal!y'l do it,"
Sally was always the one left behind when
there was party and only fnery enough
for two. 1t was Sally who stayed home
from meeting and lent her boots to one of
the others. Yet | believed | liked doing
things for them, and for a kiss or a kind
word would willingly have gone through fire
and water.
Now that Uncle Kit was coming from
California to make US visit it was l who
was left at home to clean up and make the
house smart, while Floss and Peggy had
gone to the village to buy some chintZ fer
his room curtains and new white covcrlet
for his bed
y want something to eat and a rest, 4"
replied the tramp.
if only mother had been at homei She
WAS away consulting over Martha Phillips
sick baby, Tor she was rare nurse, and
valued the Importance of being called upon
IN such occasions. Father and the boys
were moving IN the meadow mile away.
Ny impulse was at once TO invite the
stranger in. He really seemed to have a
respectable look under his rags and
wretched dress-at least | thought so for
moment, and felt not the slightest fear of
him. Probably he would go before the
others came home and none would be the
wiser.
Come in" I said ''You do look tired
out. Come in ami I'll get you something
20 eat" He gave me a grateful look and
followed me 20 the kitchen. There quickly
set a table. The instinct of hospitality
sWOke in me. l set before him some cold
beef, fresh butter, loaf of bread, aud then
drew him some cool cider from the cellar.
He ate leisurely and quietly, but made
good dinner.
l don't know what possessed ME, but
after he had finished his dinner 1 asked
him ii he would take nap on the lounge
IN the slttlng-room. Father always lay
there for short time in the evening
There l left my tramp and went on with
my work. / swept out the parlur, busted
the mantlepiece and pictures, set fresh
flowers IN the vase on the red cloth of the
center table, and after giving a few touches
so the brass door handles and putting new
TIODoue On Inc curtains / returned to the
sitling-ro1m.
TIE fact Of it is l was filed with anxiety
lest Ely mother or the girls or my father
sLoud come home while the tramp was
there. II they did, woe betide me. knew
. Should never hear the last of it. Just
ike Sally" ANY more tramps been
ar0uni, Sally?" sally, heard from that
ramp" and such Ike speeches would be
diunrd in my ears night and day forever.
The tramp l found preparing 10 go; but
somehow ne seemed to hesitate.
''Are you going, sir?' | asked. "Well l
rope YOU feel Better" l didn't add call
gain" words that were on my lips. Still
Le fingered.
-. - Can do anything more for you?" 1 in
qIired. On, how / regretted that speech a
moment afterWard.
g You've been such dear. good young
-ldy to me, he said Warmly, " that I'm go-
NJ to ask loan of you"
believe l looked thuuderstruck.
have no money TO buy caet to Har-
Tistown. Wont you be so kind as to lend
NE some?"
Dear, dear. what would my folks say if
they thought | was going to lend money to n
tramp. But lend it did-yes, | put into
large brown hand the Whole OF my SIX
months savings. l felt almost afraid of my
folly at the time, but be took it " it'll smile,
thanked me protusely, and the next thing |
knew he was going down the lane, toward
The main road. sudden thought occurred
TO me.
Come back for moment" cried He
turned round and hastily approached the
piazza.
:. Are you going to the depot?" 1 inquired.
am" he answered
Well, your shortest way is round the
house. Follow the path through the orchard,
past the barn and down the pasture. II will
bring you to the back road, and save you
half an hours walk In the sun. Turn to the
lelt at the pasture gate and Keep right on"
He thanked me, smiled again and was
gone
Now" 1 thought. "he's sure to meet
none Of the folks coming home" Then |
drew breath of relief, aud after tidyfnc
myself dragged the rockingham on TO the
possible as l waited for father and the rest
10 return. y
Mother came home first, full of the symp-
TOMS aAd suherIngs Of Martha Phillips
baoy then Floss and Peggy drove up in the
buggy, eager to show US their purchases.
rather and the boys arrived in time for sun
b Der. 0NF
That evening the mortgage was discussed
again. The subject OF the mortgage that Law
on the farm was periodically discussed
those who own mortgaged farms and know
their owners will understand what | mean
by saying that the mention of mortgages
makes ne sick. That mortgage it was that
rendered my mother old before her time and
made my father appear an incarnation of
.ovetousness.
The niggardliness and closeness which
necessity had made the rule Of his life was
not, believe, natural to him; but it was
ground in him by the mortgage aad the pay
ing The interest. Day and night dolGrs and
cents, proht and prices, were the whole topic
OF conversation. Every penny was grudg-
ihgiy aoled out every expense which meant
iaSlhE out money was cut off. Everything
That could be sold off the farm was sold.
hay, butter, eggs and beef, aud swallowed
up by this mortgage. It was only by our
own private poultry, aud the sale of milk
from our own COW, and by knitting that we
girls managed to scraDe together enough to
dress on. The carking care, the pinching
poverty in the midst of plenty which wears
more than anything else on heart and mind,
arc u oe lOuuu III perfection IN the nome
Of q farmer whose farm carries a mort
gage. The removal of the mortgage, which
was once the dream of my fathers life, had
for a long lime passed out of the range of
his hopes. 1t was hard enough to pay the
interest 1t was natural enough, therefore.
that the return of my uncle from California
with fortune brought up the subject of the
mortgage.
Il shouldn't be surprised if be lifted il at
last for me" said my father that evening.
i've often asked him and he's never given
me decided answer. He must be pretty
well fixed now and / hoped him when he
was boy"
And this opinion seemed to be shared by
mother and the boys. My uncle's arrival
was looked upon as a sort Of bonanza to the
family. 1t WIS therefore with great excite
ment that pc heard the news that Jake Ed
wards was driving up strangers from the
station and that they were coming to Squire
SanpstArIa This massapa vxas hrnnnht IN