Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-07
A TRAMP'S ROMANCE,

inquired the chronic loafer jocularIy of the
traveller, at which sally the rest of the par
ty laughed heartily.
The tramp brought the butt of his heavy
hickory stick down upon the floor with
such vigor as to raise small cloud of dust
from the cracks and replied: "Wull! Have
II Jest say! Eff youse gentlemen keeps
quiet an don't asst so many questions"
said the tramp, II tell yer all bout ct.
Yer see, ct come like this. Bout three
years ago was workin through this val
ley toward Snyder county, an one fine day
ct was one O. them days when yer feels
like settin down an jest doin nothin-I
come through this here town an went up
tn main road about two mile tell I come
ter tn Red hill. never knowed jest why
done et Eft must ben fate, but
switched off onter tn bye road, stead Nv
stickin ter tn pike. l went bout mile
an didn't meet no one nor pass no houses,
tell at last come ter farm what has an
orchard on tn sout' side tn barn.
"They was nice grassy place on tn
other side tn road under an apple tree, an
ez ct was one of them warm, lazy summer
days made up me min ter rest an lay
down in tn grass. Yer kin laugh ct folks
who allus talks weather, but I tell ye ct
does powerful sight wit man. know
Of tibet he'd ben u rainy day I'd never
he'd tibet fairy core--ez tn French calls ct
tibet hit me then an played tn dickens
wit me fortunes.
II was layin there watchin the clouds
overhead an listenin ter tn plover whis-
tin out in the fel, an ter tn tres frawg
bellerin up in tn locus, when all Nv
sudden I seen blue CLEAN in an apple
tree in tn orchard 'crosst tn way. I
watched ct, an pretty soon I made out tibet
ct was woman. She was settin there
quiet an still, like she was readin, an
down below seen tn top NV choking
coop an hear tn ole hen cluckin. couldn't
sec much fer tn leaves an didn't git
sight NV her face, but made out tn out
lines in tibet blue caliker dress an jest
kinder drank 'em in.
EFT was tn day done ct all. Fore I
knowed ct begen ter imagine tn face
tibet must hev fit thet FORM l pictured
her like tn girls tibet rides tn mowin ma
chine In tn agricultural advertisement
chromos, yeller hair an all. wanted ter
try an see her face, but didn't dare ter,
for she'd "a seen me, and het 'ud "a
spoiled my chancet. But lay there jest
dreamin like, an fore knowcd ct l could
think Nv nothin but tibet there girl in tn
tree, who figured must hev been Il heap
sight better lookin than circus lady.
EFT come shutdown, an ez he'd ter hus-
tie ter git supper dragged meself ter
gether an moved on. went up tn valley
three days an got bout 80 miles toward
Snyder county, but tn whole time was
thinkin bout nothin but tn girl in tn
blue caliker dress l never felt SO queer
before all didn't know jest what ter do.
Last decided I'd hev ter 60 back an hev
another look ct her, SO l turned round an
kivered me tracks.
II reached tn orchard bout one day
later, in tn afternoon, an hanged eff she
wasn't there, but a-settin in tree closer
ter TIL road. didn't dast go near her,
fer knows how 'fraid tn weemen is Nv
us men. But slid enter me ole place an
jest lay there watchin her blue dress
wavin in tn breeze and then, when I
seen as how shed changed trees, begin
ter think maybe she'd seen me an moved
up one tree nearer tn road, kinder SO as
we'd be closer"
The tramp's voice broke. He placed
one hand upon his ragged breast and gazed
over the valley through tear filled eyes.
NOW quit yer blubberin, trampy,"
cried tho loafer, IAN git ter tn en- Nv this
ERE yarn"
The traveller wiped his eyes upon his
coat sleeve and continues:
"Wull, as I lay there watchin her SO
still an quiet begin ter think. won
dered what her name must hev been an
lowed ct orter been a pretty one. Then !
kinder thought, bein ez didn't know her
name, might give her one, tn pretticsS
/ could git up. racked me brain an final
sot ON Emily Kate; tibet sounded high
toned. Then begin ter wonder who'd be
SO fort nit as ter git Emily an cussed me.
self fer bein SIGH a bum. kinder thought
I might reform, but final lowed Of she'd
take me without me hevin ter reform ct
'ud be sight pleasanter all round. SEQ
how she'd moved up tree an kinder
wondered eff she'd seen me. TIL more !
thought ON ct tn worse got begin ter
think mebbe eff cleaned up wouldn't bo
SO bad-in fact, heap better than lots Nv
folks knows By tn time ct come sun.
SGT conceded ter resk ct an begin ter
think Nv crawlin tn fence an interducin
meself, but then mo heart failed me. /
put ct off tell tn mex day an slid over tn
flel ter barn an spent TIL night.
II didn't eat no breakfas couldn't.
But when ct come sunup went down ter
tn spring an washed up. Then cut fer
tn orchard, 'tendin ter wait tel she come.
Expected she wouldn't be there SO airly,
sence she'd likely do up tn breakfas'
dishes.
1rHf MI 4. 3 tod ~
then what sight seen! near yelled.
They was great big Teller he'd his arm
round her wais'. She was a.layin all
limplike, wit her head pitched forward SO
Icouldn't see it, an her feet was draggin |
through tn timothy, fer the Teller was
pullin her along down TIL orchard ct |
first I was fer runnin to her resky, but l |
thought mebbe I'd better wait tell see
what come Nv ct.
"Th' big Teller, he pulled her all limp,
down ter tn other side an then leaned her
up agin tree an hit her punch wit bis
fls'. I seen tn blue caliker sunbonnet
droop. Then he jumped tn fence an start
cd down over tn meddy.
Me heart was a-thumpin awful. I |
waited tell he was outer sight, an then
clumb tn fence an slipped down through
tn long grass ter where Emily Kate lay,
half dead, agin tn tree. seen choking
coop there an hear tn ole hen cluckin, an
stepped up and rfAsed th' girls droopin
head. She he'd straw face an was keepin |
tn hawks of them chickings. Ny Emily
Kate was scare
The tramp's voice grew husky, and he
faltered.
''See here, you ole fool" cried the
chronic loafer, cts quit rain this ten |
minutes, an you've KEEP me from splittin
termorrow's wood wit your bloomin lies"
The tramp cleared his throat, and gath
ering up his bandanna and stick he arose
and replied:
"Youse gentlemen sisted I mus tell
yer bout 1t. tole yer-but mus be
movinv