The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-10-12
GRLTCHEN's GRIT.
BY oz1As MIDSUMMER.


He'd wandered about amid wales Of disaster,
Aud climbed the high mountains Of woe,
And now he sat perched on stump in the pas
ture,
And did not know whittier to go.
oh, why sang his heart, has the earth in its
No place where q tramp may find rest2
III 60 to yon house and will ask them to shake mp
Some kind Of q wanderers nest.
He went to the window, and saw within, sitting,
Some son Of the Rhine, on chair,
While close by his side wee frauleln SAT KNIT
ting
Some beautiful striped footwear.
He smelt the sweet Lmburger cheese throuGn
the keyhole,
Mixed with the rare favor Of kraut
And mingled with these was the smell OF tne
Coming Though the keyhole without.
His heart went rp into his mouth in an instant,
When fell his hard fist on the door;
When, instead Of coming unto his assistance
They left him stand just as before;
And, furthermore, then ana there all pecaAne
darkness,
And not the least sound could he hear,
Except now and then, as they blamed their re-
And then again sampled the beer.
Thus sorevermore might these things have con.
So far as the tramp was concerned,
Had not a man then and there bony ana BID
Him in the deep darkness discerned.
Tho words Of the man came, in deep thunder
languaged,
And said, You Dutch son Of gum
But ere he said more the poor, poor tramp IAN
And for bis life could not have run.
The man quit the tramp when he thought he
Might very soon give up the ghost;
when the tramp heard the dear little Dutch
lady crying,
And learned that the man was his host.
He learned, furthermore, that though he was the
He'd Just got what was the girls beams;
Her father'd designed and intended to fix him,
And give him lesson to 60.
The tramp soon arranged plan whereby they
To bed in the tidy spare room,
And there he made love to the little Dutch
The tramp, indeed, had struck boom.
He stayed through the cold stormy days OF the
And fingered along into May,
Declaring, on honor, ne was great sinner,
If able to go on his way.
But time brought change. -You must 60. or
The father said; "now do you hear"
When Gretchen's arms folded the tramp's form
about,
She told the old man to stand clear.
The father beheld in his daughter the mettle
Which came to them from his good sire.
He thought the pan should not say black to the
So put % his foot down on his Ire.
They sat by the kitchen stove calmly discuss
The H ills OF the tramp and his woes;
The little Dutch traulein the meantime kept
To tickle the old fathers noss:
And degntedd 10 see h smell gently
As came out the kract, beer, and Limburser
scently,
Their odors pervading the room.
.The hope OF the woman lies in her lords stom-
Thought wise little Gretchen, with smile;
IF father will eat and drink all see him take,
The will o. her lords is his child's."
The plan was successful, and worked in a min.
As Gretchen had hoped that it would;
80 winked to her lover again to bsGln 1t,
And settle the matter for good.
The lover began, but, before he could finish,
lawyer drove up to the door;
Who said: MY dear Sir. If your name is Jay
You're worth forty thousand or more
Your uncle is dead and has left his whole estate
To YOU on condition you wed.
So 60 about quickly and hunt up good mate,
or be poor tramp till you re dead"
he said: aI am Mayor Of Centervire town here.
AS such have the right and The will
To tie knot snugly, and do it up brown, dear
Just now, If you two will STAND still"
So while the old father was taking long pull,
To settle Limburger and kraut,
The dainty wee knot WAS tied quickly, for fear
OF kicking should he find it out.
CHICAGO. III.