The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-03-14
TRAMP In THE OVEN
The Reception a Knight Of the
Road Got in Jersey.
A FARMERS WIFE JAILED HIM.
Tut the Oven Did Not Prove to be Strong
Enough to Hold Him.

while the Woman Was Away Alarming
the Nughbors the Tramp Kicked the
Back Out of His Prison and Made Good
His Escape-He Wanted what Money
There Was in the House, but Did Not
Get Anything.
DEcKERTowN, N. J., March 14.-Mrs.
Sarah Baker, wife of a farmer in Wan
tage Township, had an experience with
a tramp the other day. Mrs. Baker is
small woman, but strong and plucky.
She was all alone at the time, her hus-
band being away on business. Her eyes
had troubled her for several weeks, and
she was wearing pair of green glasses.
She was sitting in the dining room early
in the afternoon and had fallen into a
doze
Suddenly the door opened and tramp
entered. He wasn't very large, but he
had an ugly look and carried club. He
did not see Mrs. Baker at first, and she
kept very quiet Finally she exclaimed:
''Who is there?n
The tramp looked around and at once
made up his mind that the woman was
blind That is just what she wanted
him to believe, for she had already
formed plan of action
81 want something to eat and l want
it quick, see2'' said the tramp.
''No, l don't see, said Mrs. Baker,
''but l hear very well, and l guess you
are a thief come to rob the house
"Never mind what you guess. You
hustle and get me some grub. | hain't
had anything to eat since yesterday
morning"
Mrs Baker got up and pretended to
stumble around in search of food. She
found some bread and butter and some
cold pork, and put them on the table.
Then she fumbled around until she found
the chair and sat down again. The
vagabond ate everything up, and then
shouted:
"Now want what money you have in
the house,
Haven't any money" replied Mrs.
Baker,
"You'le n LIAR" yelled the impolite
visitor, ''aDt ~ you don't tell me where
it is | Will CA your heart out. /"
The little woman was badly frightened,
but stuck " her story that she had no
money until the tramp grabbed her by
Then she apparently weakened and said
that the money was hidden where she
couldn't get at it.
"Where is it?'' asked the tramp
''In the big oyen," was the reply, and,
without turning her hean, Mrs Baker
pointed toward the kitchen. The man
went in the kitchen and looked into the
old oven. There was no fire in it and it
seemed empty Then he came back and,
taking her by the throat. said that she
was lying and that he would kill her.
She cried and begged him to spare her
life and, amid her sobs, informed him
that the mouey was in wad behind a
loose brick at the rear of the oven.
She looked so innocent and truthful
that the man believed her and went back
into the kitchen. Mrs Baker waited un-
til she heard him crawling into the big
oven. Then she ran into the kitchen,
and, grabbing the tea-kettle from the
stove, poured the boiling water on his
legs He yelled with pain, and involun-
tarily drew his legs inside the oven. The
woman at once shut the oven door and
fastened it by putting a knife through
the latch.
Then she slipped on her bonnet and
ran down the road for a mile until she
reached blacksmith's shop. There
were three men in the shop and, after
resting minute, she managed to tell
them what had occurred They grabbed
some hickory spokes and all hurried
back with her. They were rather timid
when they first entered the kitchen, but
regained their courage when they saw
that the oven door was still securely
fastened.
They decided that Mrs. Baker should
open the door and that they should grab
the tramp and take him to the justice of
the peace at Vantage. When Mrs. Baker
opened the oven door she gave a cry of
asuonishment As she looked in she saw
clear across the kitchen garden and out
into the orchard The tramp had kicked
the entire back out of the old oven and
escaped.