The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1893-03-10
"Now knock on the door. "

Tome IN, ne SAID, ana the tramp
followed.
do you want work or have you got
rather more than you wanted?' Perry
continued.
The man glanced up and then ded.
Perry is a six-footer, who can kick like
a desert mule.
1t was a long time before Mrs. Perry
Was troubled by tramps again; but, of
course, there was no escaping them al
together. Even the purchase of Won
derfully intelligent and well-trained
dog did not keep them away alto
gether. Mr.. Perry had to drive to the
mine, nine miles away, several times a
week, and the wife was often left
alone for several hours at time. One
afternoon something at the mine de-
tanned Perry so that he could not reach
home until after dark. Mrs. Perry un-
derstood the matter, and did not begin
to prepare supper until after nightfall.
She was going to broil a steak that
night, and, having lighted the fire and
a lamp, was putting the broiler on the
stove when IA tramp stallSed in at the
open kitchen door, having in some way
escaped the dog. The frightened look
that came to Mrs. Perry's face at once
showed him that he was master of the
situation, and, sitting down at the ta-
BILE, he bade her go on and get the
steak ready in haste and to fetch out
the best of everything she had in addi-
ton. The bearing of the man was SO
terrifying that Mrs. Perry did not dare
to refuse, and, greatly agitated, she
brought the steak and put it over the
glowing Goals. The other work was
also continued, the man meantime
cursing her for being slow SO continu
ally that he did not hear the wheels of
a ckboard that was driven up to the
rear of the ka.s1, .i5I aid Mrs. Perry
hear them.
The blackboard contained Mr.. Perry,
and he could hear the words of the
tramp very plainly. Dropping the
reins he walked silently toward the
kitchen door just as Mrs Perry ap-
preached the stove with quart shaker
full OF powdered salt. She poised the
shaker, and by accident shook the
cover off SO that more than pint of
salt fell on the meat, glanced at the
door and saw her husband coming, and
then fell in dead faint beside the
stove.
Without word Perry entered the
room, and, walking to the table picked
up the carving knife, while the tramp
fell on his knees and begged for life.
That was the only move that could
save his life. Perry could not kill
man who begged for mercy, but he
could and did give him a frightful re-
turn for the misery Mrs. Perry had en-
dured. For a moment he considered
how he could punish the fellow. and
then his eyes fell on the stove.
The steak was bubbling on top and
scorching below over the redhot Goals,
while the salt in browning heap lay
on the middle.
Hold out your hands flat said Per-
ry. The tramp obeyed, and with the
knife and fork Perry placed the steak
upon them. The man shrieked with
pain, but dared not drop it.
You ordered the steak quick. and
you shall have it,, said Perry. Now
e at it."
With the read Y knife before his eyes
the tramp choked it down, salt and
all, and then disappeared in the night.
The eastern reader may think that
after such an experience the tramp
died on the desert next day, but he
didn't, and the chances are that by ex.
hibiting his burned hands and telling
some pitiful story about them he OBJ
tanned more square meals during the
next week than he had had in three
months before. That Perry was justi-
fed in his treatment of the man no one
doubts who knows the desert and its
nomads.
Although rarely If ever done todeath
by the citizens on whom they prey,
more tramps die violent deaths in this
country than elsewhere. Because the
country is desert they must ride on
the cars in the hot months. There is
curious rule among the railroads of the
whole Rocky mountain region that
works to the advantage of the tramps.
The Indians of the region are allowed
to ride free on the outside of ana be-
tween the cars 1t is great graft" for
the tramp who finds group of Piutes
or Shoshones on train. The train
men do not notice the addition to the
group. and the Indians are not unlike
ly to share their food with the tramp.
But Indians are not often found on the
railroads in this part of the desert,
while tramps are as plentiful as sand
storms. A train never goes over the
road without carrying tramps or with
out fight between them and the train
men. The utter reeklessness of the
tramps in stealing rides is enough to
unnerve the inexperienced spectator.
1t is useless for them to try to board a
-. -.