The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1894-02-10
MIRIAM'S TR AMP.


With an effort the prone figure raised
himself on one elbow from where he.
had fallen by the roadside, and turned
upon the girl bending pityingly over.
him a face which, mari ed and disfig-
ured as it was BIZ hunger, fatigue and
WEAKNESS, was still handsome and
lighted by deep brown eyes, that held
in their depths a look Of pathetic ap-5
peal. :
He essayed to speak, but without
avail for an instant; then with difficulty
the wan lips formed the words
I'll? believe I am dying, miss!'
Dying! oh, nor and instinctively she
bent closer over him, while a quick
tear fell on his cheek, and the next in
slant hand, soft and cool as snow
fake, was laid on his forehead. But
you are really i'll, I fear-and-and
hungry, too, I am afraid. Where do
you live? Have you any friends?'
Live? Friends?' he repeated after
her in a dazed way, which showed that
the weakness which had well nigh so
fatally overpowered him was return
ing. II live nowhere; have no friends
no home-no food! But it doesn't
matter now-I shall want none of them
long"
"But I must not-I cannot leave you
here to die!" exclaimed the girl, looking
anxiously along the road which had
never seemed so utterly deserted as
now; not soul in sight to whom she
could appeal for advice or assistance.
She looked for moment with eager
scrutiny into his face to see if she could
recognize any one she had seen before.
NO, he was stranger, and yet there
was something in his cOuntenance, wan
and haggard though it was, that puz-
zled her with strange sort of famil-
iarity. But the glazed expression that
was already gathering in his eyes dis
PEELED all other considerations for the
moment.
What should she-what could she do?
Certainly not leave him to die by the
roadside, as he must inevitably do if
abandoned; and yet to make any at
tempt to take him to her own home
would be equally futile.
Her mother-her adopted mother,
rather-the only one she had ever
knoWn-had a rooted and unconquera-
BILE aversion to tramps.
Naturally hospitable and sympathetic,
this was point upon which she was
inf1edble-inexorable. No tale of woe
could move her, no object Of that class,
no matter how abject or forlorn, in
sp1re her to pity or shake her resolu-
ton; and more than once Miriam had
slipped out after some poor, repuIsed
creature and dropped into his hand a
part of her own modest allowance, or
portion of the meal which she must
otherwise have left untasted
Mrs. Nelson had never volunteered
any reason for this strange behavior,
and Miriam had never ventured to ask
any, but she realized the utter hope
lessness Of attempting to move her
either to pity or compassion in this
case.
So direful a strait, he.wever, had
never come to her Eotice before and
the extremity of the case made. her for
once both desperate and defiant
Her home was the nearest-the' two
women We're alone fer the time, NJ.
Nelson being. absent for day on bust
ness in neighboring ltown-and there
was a barn full of cool, understanding
hay, and would be entirely undisturbed
at least until his return-a respite long
enough, perchance, to save human
life.
Miriam felt that if she should leave
him there to die, the place would be
forever haunted to her; at any risk
at the risk of Drawing such displeas,lre
as she had never felt-or even perhaps
losing the home that had been hers for
so many happy years, she must help
and save this hapless fellow-creature.
TRY to see if you can stand up, and
walk with my help a little way-just
to that house yonder,". she said, bend
in f1,a foS
can give you shelter there, at least,
and food-and perhaps help you to- get
well again. Come-roalse yourselfv'
she exclaimed, giving him gentle
shake, as he seemed lapsing again into
Inconsistencies. You must not die.
Somewhere, perhaps, there is some one
watching and waiting for you, whose
heart will break if you do not return -
The words seemed to fall from her
lips without any conscious voition of
her own, and they produced singular
effect upon the stranger. He started
as If he had received an electric shock,
glared wildly, at her for a moment,
then, with a desperate exertion of
strength, got upon his feet; and stood
clutching hold of her arm.
Slowly and painfully divided between
the dread Of his sinking down again
before the house was. reached, and of
her adopted mother discovering and
defeating her benevolent purpcse-A1ir-
| lam guided his faltering, trembling steps
along-pausing to steady him once or
! twice when he threatened to fall, reas-
| surfing him with an encouraging pres
sure Of the wasted hand resting on
| his arm-along the road until the gate
was reached, then UP and around the
path to the barn, and back to- the far
Their end where was a stall that was
never used. Seating him on bench
that stood by the wall, she hastily
shook down a pile of soft, sweet hay
| into the stall, then, taking his arm
assisted him to the impromptu bed
upon which he sunk with low, faint.
ing cry. ~
! Scarcely daring to look at him lest
her worst fears should be confirmed
Miriam FASTENED to the house.
where have you been, child?" he1
! me Their called from an inner room
as her light tread sounded on the kitch
| en- floor. 7*J ~. -1.s...- ~: g..
"Just for q walk, mother Miriam
answered, trying, with some difficulty
1 RI ronroSc tho trornor in hor voico