Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-05-19
A TALE OF A TRAMP.

Yankee Blade.
A TALE OF A TRAMP
He was Enthusiastically Il tramp III,
ragged old man that Aunt Libbi,
found lying senscless upon his face il
the dusty highway that sultry Angus
afternoon. The terrible heat of ,
burning sun had been too much TO,
his feeble strength, and he had sunk
to the earth overpowered by sitting
atmosphere that seemed like breath
from the scorching interior OF some
tiery-hearted volcano.
Most people would have bundled the
old ragamulin off to the woykhouse
Immediately helpless and sun-sm,ten
as he was, but she was made of n diff
serent stuff. this tender hearted little
Aunt Libbie OF ours. She hastily sum.
moned the whole household out into
the heat and dust OF the highway. and
made the hired man anu myself raise
the almost lifcicss form Of tho old
begsar and put il ,enderly to bed in
the tiny spare room that She had re.
served when We came to live with her
while Maggie went in haste for Or.
Palmer.
There was mournful tragedy hid
den away in the buried pas, Of this
soft-volccd tender hearted little old
lady, though no one ever would haze
suspected it from her sweet face ana
calm and placid appearance. Long
years before, when Aunt I.ibble was
still a fresh and beautiful young girl,
her heart had been won by handsome
dashing young stranger callcj Tom
Dacre. AS he seemed steady and re-
liable and the soul OF honor. they be-
came engaged after short courtship
even though she knew nothing what.
ever of her handsome lovers ante.
cedents. For while everything wen,
on happily and the wedding day rap
IDLY drew near then came "A thunder
clap.
a neighbor Deacon Burgess. bought
large tract OF land known as the
Edmonds estate. and Went TO the CITY
one day to draw funds from the bank
with which to pay for it AS i, was a
long drive and he did not expect TO
get back until late he took his son.
Henry. an intelligent lad OF fifteen.
with him for company.
About ten o'clock tina, night the BOY
came rushing back into the Burgess
homestead. with face like ashes and
great Mortified eyes, and with all the
lncohercnce of extreme terror he told
an awful story. He said that he and
his father had nearly reached home
again, when, as they were going
through dark and lonely strip of
woodland. a highwayman suddenly
sprang from the bushes by the road
side and seized the horse by the bride.
POINTING pistol straight at the dea-
cons breast he demanded his money.
The carriage lamps were burning
brightly. but the mans face was en-
veloped to the eyes in thick. dark
muller. SO he could not be identified.
The deacon was brave man though
somewhat along in years and he was
not one to give up his hard-enrncd
savings without a struggle I.caping
suddenly from the carriage he Crap
pied with the robber at the same
time calling upon the boy for assist
ance.
The onslaught was so unexpected
that the rutian was taken entirely by
surprise. The cloth was torn from
his lace in the struggle, but before
the frightened boy could render his
father the slightest assistance the
robber pulled the trigger and Deacon
Burgess fell headlong to the earth.
The boy leaped INTO the bushes and
escaped in the darkness; but as he
fled from the fatal spot he threw
hasty glance behind him and saw the
assassin leaning over the PROSTATE
form OF his victim as he CROPPED in
the breast for the roll OF bills that
had been the occasion OF the crime.
The boys story created the utmost
CONSERVATION at the Burgess home
stead. An armed party of neighbors
was hastily summoned, and set out nj
once for the scene Of the encounter.
The terrible tale was but too true.
They found the unfortunate man pros
trate in the road and weItcring in
blood. shot through the breast while
oAS oiu Hoi 81. StOOu lllICucQ 10 4 Tree
close by. The money was gone.
Deacon Burgess lived until the fol.
lowing day and recovered his senses
perfectly toward the last Both he
and the boy Henry swore most posi-
lively that the perpetrator of the
dastardly deed was no other than Tom
Dacre. But no earthly power could
save the wounded man, as he was
bleeding internally, and at 8 o'clock
in the afternoon he breathed his last
1t was two days before Tom Dacre
could be found. but at the end OF that
time he was arrested returning from a
neighboring town. The officers kept
the Infatuated citizens from lynching
him only with the greatest difficulty.
and that very evening they started for
the city with their prisoner.
Not long after they set out as Aunt
Libbie sat with dry eyes and stony
heart In the little garden, we'll
known voice called to her from the
shrubbery; and moment later Tom