Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-07-14
HIS OTHER SELF.
The Vagrant Who Read His Own
Inscription

On July evening at dusk two boys
sat near the crest of grass-grown en-
bankment by the railroad at the west
ern side of a Pennsylvania town. They
talked IN low tones of the slzy's glow
above where the sun had set beyond
the low hills across the river; and also
of the stars and of the moon, which was
over the housetops behind them There
was noise of insects chirping in the
grass and OF steam escaping from loco
motive boilers in the engine shed.
A rumble sounded from the north
and in that direction a locomotive head
light came into view. It neared as the
rumble grew louder and soon freight
train appeared. This rolled past at the
foot OF the embankment-
From between two grain cars leeped
a man and after him another. So rap
idly was the train moving that they
seemed to be hurled from it. Both
alighted upon their feet. One, tall and
1.-THE, led the way up the embankment,
followed by the other, who was short
and stOcky.
Buns" whispered one of the boys
at the top of the embankIuent-
The tramps stood still when they
reachedthe top. Even in the half-light
it could be seen that their clothes were
iu-ftting, frayed and torn. They wore
'caSt-oif hats; the tall man, whose face
was clean-cut and made pretense of
being smooth shaver, had a pliable
one; the other was capped by dented
derby.
Here's yer town at lasti And it
looks like a very jay place at that"
said the short tramp to the tall one.
casting his eyes toward the house roofs
eastward.
The boys, sitting twenty fee. away,
became silent and cautiously watched
the newcomers
Yep" replied the tall tramp, IN a
deep but serious and quiet voice; land
right about here's the spot where I
jumped on freight train fifteen years
ago, the night l ran away from home
That seems like yesterday, though I've
not been here since
Skipped a good home because the
old lady brought you q new dad! You
wouldn't catch me being run out by no
astepfather! Billy, you was rash!7
''Mebbe l was. But on the dead, Pete,
it was mostly jealousy. l thought my
mother couldn't care for me any more
if she could take second husband My
sister thought so, too, but she wasn't
able to get away like mel Of course
was wrong. 1t was boyish pique drove
me away. 1 didn't fancy having an
other man in my dead fathers place.
either. And wanted to get around
and see the world q Bit After I'd gone
/ often wished hadn't I'd never i'm
agined ho<v much loved mother aud
sis. But was tougher and prouder in
some ways than most kids. You can't
understand that sort of thing, Pete.
And You can't guess how feel bein'
back here for the first time in fifteen
years. Think of it, was just fifteen
when I came away. Why, L spent half
my life here, PETER
sob, I've read somewhere about that
the way great men feel when they
visit their native towns"
The short tramp took clay pipe
from his coat pocket and stuffed into it
cigar end fshed from another pocket.
Then he inquired:
''And now you're here, Billy, what
are you go'n' to do?"
''Only ask around what's become O
my folks, then go away. 1t won't take
long
Thereu be a through coal train
along in about an hour. 'cordin' to what
the hagman told us at that last town.
VIII you be back in time to bounce
that?n
''Yes. We needn't stay here. There's
little to be picked up in place like
this"
''Then skin along and make yer in
vestigations. I'll sit here and smoke
till you come back If you could pinch
a bit o. bread an meat By the way, it
wouldn't hurt"
I'll try" answered the tall tramp.
I'm goin' to ask the kids yonder, first,
any O. my people still live here"
The tall tramp strobe over to the two
boys. His companion shambled down
the embankment to obtain. at the turn