Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-03-20
At the Door.

''No tramps here" said I; and
shut the door in his face, did. The
wind blew SO L could hardly do it, and
the sleet was beating on the panes,
and the bare trees were groaning and
moaning as if they suffered in the
storm.
''No tramps here Pm lone woman,
and I'm afraid of 'em."
Then the man hadn't seen yet for
the dark, went away from the door
champ, champ, champ, through the
slush, and heard the gate creak, as
our gate always does; and then champ,
champ, champ, came the man back
again, and he knocked on the door
knocked not half SO loud as he had
before, and I opened it hot and angry.
This time I saw his face, pale ghost
OF face with yellow brown hair crop
ped close, and great, starting, blue
eyes; and he put his hand against the
door, and held it open. GLOW far is
the next house, ma'am?" said he.
Three miles or MORE" said
'HAnd that is not tavern?''
''No,'' said I; ''no drinks to be got
there; it's Miss Mitten's, and she's as
set against tramps as am"
II don't want drink said the man,
Though do want food. You needn't
be afraid TO let me in, ma'an. I've
been wounded and am not able to
walk far, and my clothes are thin, and
it's bitter cold. I've been trying to
get to my parents, at Greenbank,
where [ can rest till [ am better; and
all my money was stolen from me
three days ago. You needn't be afraid;
let me just lie before the fire, land only
give me crust, to keep me from
starving, and the Lord will reward
you for it.''
And then he looked at me with his
wild blue eyes in way that would
have me do it, if hadn't seen so much
of those imposters.
The war was just over, and every
beggar that came along said he was
soldier travelling home, and had been
wounded and robbed. One that had
been fool enough to help, limped
away out of sight, as he thought, and
then, for l was at the garrett window,
shouldered his crutches, and tramped
it with the strongest.
"No doubt your pocket is full of
money" said [, and ''you only want
a chance to rob and murder me. Go
away with you!'' Drusilla, that's my
niece, was baking short cakes in the
kitchen. Just then she came to the
door and motioned with her mouth,
"Do let him stay auntie," and if I
hadn't had good sense, I might, but
knew better than a chit of sixteen.
HGo away with you," said I, louder
than before, ''I won't have this any
Ionger.''
And he gave a kind of groan, and
he took his hand from the latch, and
went champ, champ, champ, champ,
through the frozen snow again; and
I thought he was gone, when there
was once more hardly with a knock
at ala faint touch like a child's
now.
And when 1 opened the door again
he came quite in, and stood leaning
on his cane, pale as ghost, his eyes
bigger than ever.
''Well, of ali impudence,n said I.
He looked at me, and said he,
F'Madam, have mother at Green
bank, l want to live to see her. [
shall not, if try to go any further to-
night.'
''They all want TO see their mothers, :"
said |, and just then it came into my
mind that L hoped to see my son
Charlie, who had been real soldier,
an officer he had come to be, mind
you, wanted TO see him and would
soon.
81 have been wounded, as you see, !"
said he.
Don't 20 TO showing me your
hurts" said they buy'em SO they
told me, to so a begging with now. /
read the papers, J tell ye, and I'm
principled, and SOS our clergyman,
again g.ving any5hiag, unless it's