The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-07
See here, perhaps i am a tramp

mo. no, you have not a tramp's face,
INV pretty young gentleman. Nor do
YOU speak like a tramp"
"If having no money, no work, no
food TO speak of in days, and not NOR
sci since yesterday morning, is De-.
ing tramp, I'm tramp fast enough,
and I'll not deny it. Byt I'm an hon
est man, and shan't be tramp long,I
nromise YOU. Now, see here. While
I've been gorging myself, beast that l
avn. nv chums down there in the road,
ill and worn out and aching for food.
And I just want you to give me n lot
of things for him as fast as ever you
can. some of that coffee, and bread,
and"
"I'Il boil him some eggs" she pro-
posed, briskly.
"Enrelmutterchen Boil half
dozen. Make up good parcel, will you
anything you happen TO have. Cake,
IL YOU have got a bit. He likes cake.
Or even cold pudding. / don't sup
pose you've got piece of meatP Never
mind. A lot of that cheese, please.
| It's awfully good cheese. And what's
YOUR name, and your sons and the
| childrcn's, and all your names? Some
| dny I'll come back in different fashion,
and you'll never be sorry as long as you
J live that / did my first begging in your
house. What I've eaten I'll take as
| Gift from you to me-" he went ON, with
| n. flashing smile, and, shaking both her
| hands, "as your bounty, Mutterchen,
| and I'll bless you for it while l live.
| But all this pile here, I'm borrowing,
| YOU understand. I'm your bona fide
debtor, and I'll pay compound interest
you'll see!"
81 see YOU re a merry young gentle-
man, and l love your jest" Somewhat
| hypnotized by his eagerness and verve,
| rhe committed extensive depredations
upon the family larder.
"We must all do one another good
turns in this world" she said simply,
| as she handed him well-filled basket,
"And if you don't mind my saying it
| if / were you, / wouldn't call myself
tramp and beggar, because" she added
with smile of mellow sagacity, "some
folks never know how foolish they are"
"Oh, angel-granny, 1 thank thee for
that word" thought Florio Fastening
down the hill. "It shall be the corner
stone Of Chardo's fortune"
"Nunc plaudite. There's coffee in
that beer bottle"
Richard whistled.
begged or stolen?"
"An it please you, borrowed! Bor-
rowed of friend of mine after first
dining like an alderman myself, Of
course. Look out for number one saves
nine. is my motto" Florio returned
with a swagger, his chest we'll out, his
feet planted far apart, his face flushed
and smiling.
Richard after long pull at the COM
forting bottle, gazed up with affection
ate, vet somewhat pathetic eyes, and
muttered:
"You are such donkey!" and turned
his face quickly aside.
"Its all right, little one. Amuse
yourself now with that basket. Stay
where you are and keep house. I'm OF
for the third trip. They always go three
times, my prototypes, you know
Noah's weary dove and the other fell
lows"
Leaving the main road, he struck OF
at random, by narrow ways through the
vineyards, where men in blue blouses
were STOPPING in the strong sunshine
hard at work loosing the rocky soil
round the vine-roots.
"Most of them look as IL they might
casually suspect what fools they are.
must find one who as Granny Aristotle
said-never knows. This old pumpkin
may do
| Negligently leaning on stone wall.
he gazed at nothing in particular and
began to whistle.
Beyond surly glance now and then
the vintner paid no heed to the idle fell
low, but gradually, after the fashion OF
even unsocial animals, became vaguely
accustomed or reconciled TO his pres
ence. When he judged sufficient time
had elapsed, he cautiously let fall a
series OF isolated remarks of ultra
humdrum purport, the vintner re-
spending. II is true, only by grunts-
| - ~NA 4.