Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-12-24
A Tranp's Christmas


! Christmas eve; and he tramps foot
steps fell noiselessly on the sidewalk
covered with the snow that had been ST.
lentiy falling for several hours. He was
q typical tramp; his walk clothes, hat,
shoes and face were those Of tramp;
lie shunlcd In a tramp-lke gait silently
along, looking straight before him, with
The binding snow beating against his
face; lac walked and walked and never
seemed 10 notice the many aud merry
sIeighing parties that passed and repassed
him with juggling bells and happy laugh
ter At last he came to pretentOus
and magnificent residence, through Tie
windows Of which the electric lights with
in flashed their brilliant rays upon the
snowy ground and tall and ghostly trees
that, sentinel like, stood guard over all
things around The tramp paused and
looked and his face Ut up as though the
home and grounds We're not unfamiliar to
him. For moment he stood and then
silently crossed Tie lawn and made his
way TO tree from behind which he
could see into the house and yet remain
unseen himself The tramp looked In
the window and gazed upon scene Of
mirth and happiness AMI snlendor. lie
saw beautiful women aud handsome men;
aud he saw brilliant jewels CLEAN from
borrowed light from the chandelier above,
He saw happy smiles and listened to hap
py Laughter He saw glistcning glasses
filled with sparkling Wine raised TO full
red lips by irwcled hIuds; he saw the
stoiu cpuntcnIngr of the old man who
was sitting az tie head Of the banquet
table relax with smile of good viii
towards men, az he raised his glass to his
lips In answer 10 a toast by an honorcd
guest; he saw the guests leave the bun
quot room aud NIL the untouched delicn-
cirs behind, and then he heard sweet
music ilout softly ont on the cold night
air. The tramp leaned his heud wenrily
against the tree and murmurel, mot for
me- and then silently made his way to
tho street aud silufllVd as silently and
tie cabin In The outskirts of the city
and stepped behind 10 for rest and shell
ter from the cold north wind that was
Blowing. Through a crack In the door Of
the humble hone he saw q faint glmmcr
of light from q small fire THAI was Just
dying out, and he heard the voice Of a
child say, "Alnmn, I'm so hungry, and
dou't Santa Claus come 10 liile children
who have no p1p0st' aud he heard the
mother answers NO, my cEild, Santa
Claus don't come 10 little children who
have no pIpuS' He saw the last ray Of
light from the fire flicker and die away,
aud with It's death a tear was born In the
eyes Of the tramp. lie stood in deep
thought for moment, and then muir
INJURED! Tonight santa Claus will come
W 70 llNNNN NlNIHN WIN iNNH NN NAIta re
turned away from the cabin aud slouchod
his way bncl, 10 the beautiful Eome in
which he had gUznd so longingly and visit
fully two hours before; he came to the
same old oak which had shielded him a
short time before, aud he again leaned
his head against the tree In docp thought.
In O moment he stTlightcncd MP and NUT
tered; Santa Cuus must come TO tic
child tonight lie stpllthily approached
window, silently raised Il and started
TO enter when he saw a binding flash
and heard a loud report from the pistol
IN the hands Of tie stern old man. The
tramp rcc.cl In the window and fol- to
the ground below, aud his life sooucd
chhcd away with the crimson that col
orCd the Elisttniug snow. The next morn
ing, when the old man WAS seated In tie
private Office Of the building from whch
his great newspaper was issued. he
picked up the paper and the following
head lines greeted his eye; "a tramp
killed while attempting TO rob TIE house
of wealthy citiZen-- Awortalcss life well
ended" And the stern old man thought
il strange that he happened Ia think of
his only hoy, whom he had driven from
home many years before But Santa
CLAUS did not come to tho little child that
uight-for the tramp was dead.