The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-12-09
CHASED BY A TRAMP.


of the one occupied by her family. The
highroad or turnpike, az we called 1t, was
close by, and this in summer time was
much travelled on by tramps and dlsrepu-
table persons. But, as n rule we Mt Mas
sizes took little heed of tramps, and few Of
those who came to beg ever got served ut
our door. If any did get served, they
were either the very needy or the particu-
larly "cheoky." The former were relieved
out of pity for their condition, the latter to
get rid of them.
But Mrs. Massie could deny even u very
"choeky beggar" If she suspected him of
being an impostor. No doubt she did il
with more timidity than temerity, but
then there was usually big dog or big
farm laborer within sound of her voica
Therefore she did do it occasionally. Only
that very forenoon she had refused to serve
burly turnpike navy whc begged hard
for a piece of bread and drink of milk,
"You look strong and healthy. Why
don't you work?' asked Mrs. Massie.
How can folks work when there amt
any work for 'em to do9' said he.
There's plenty to do, If you only look
| for it in likely place" she replied.
GIVE been looking for it three months
and aint FOUND 1t yet, ;" said he.
"Then look for it till you do find It,"
said the missis, and with that she banged
the door in his face and left him to go his
way.
l thought it was rather unfeeling of Mrs.
MGssie to talk like that, but she had been
in pet over something or other that morn
ing and was not quite herself
Well, about an hour after that she came
to me in quite good humor and asked me
to go for walk and take the baby, saying
it would do us good TO get out bit. So,
of course, l got ready, and we were soon
enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine
For some distance we walked on the turn
pike, but before long we came TO narrow
lane which led to our nearest neighbours,
whose farm was about mile away.
The lane, except for birds and insects,
was as lonely II place as any one could wish
for Therefore we were not little star
tied when, on turning q corner, we CANT
upon a tramp-the very navy whom Mrs
NIasse had SO rudely dismissed that morn
ing.
He was lying in the shade of thick
hedge, and he looked up as we passed.
When l saw him through the kitchen win
dow that morning, 1 noticed that he did
not look very refined, neither in manners
nor in features, but now, on passing close
to him in that narrow lane, fancied he
looked quite ferocious Evidently he and
Mrs. Massic recognized each other, and 1t
was plain that this did not please her, for
she tmred away from him with a shudder,
as though she had seen a serpent.
The navy must have seen that we We're
afraid Of him, and no doubt this gave him
some satisfaction, but we walked on quick
" and in silence, for neither of us dared
trust ourselves TO speak. When we were
little distance from him, however, Mrs
, Massie whispered to me TO look round and
sec if he was still lying down. 1 turned
my head and saw that the tramp was on
; his feet and following u.s. and then l
, grasred my companions arm, and she
turned to look also.
Just then the tramp stopped and picked
up something which looked like a thick
stick or a hedge stake, and, with this in his
hand, he came on mt quicker pace, as
though intending to overtake us. AT this
my mistress turned pale and trembled with
fear, eXclaiming:
Oh, heaven, be means to murder us
both and this innocent babe as well!
What shall we do, Jennie; what shall we
do?'
cur livesr' cried, feeling sure that the
tramp really intended to do us harm.
But, in her great fear, Mrs Massie could
not trust her baby out of her arms and
instead of giving it to me she pressed the
( little thing all the closer to her breast.
Thus we ran down the lane as fast as our
feet would take us, not daring to look back
upon our pursuer. We knew the tramp
was following, because we could hear him
g shouting after us in loud and angry tones
= 1t seemed that he was trying to frighteI
us, but we ran on and never paused a mo-
ment to hear what he said.
I The farmhouse toward which we were
fastening was not vet in sight but we fet
swiftly onward, hoping soon to find refuge
there and to gain the assistance of its In
mates For awhile the tramp ceased K
shout, so glanced around to see if he wa
. still pursuing us, whereupon he raised hi
weapon, and fourishing 1t above his heaC
shouted all the louder and more anglil!
ana made a more determined effort t.
overtake us.
9 Mrs. Massie was almost exhausted will
running, but still she refused to let III
have the baby, although | was the younge
and stronger and better able to carry it. II
her terror she seemed to fancy the bab.
-. was safer in her arms than it would be II
NINE though l felt sure it would hav
= greatly relieved her if she had allowed III
to take the infant from her. Almos
breathless with the warmth of the day AM
the exertion of her flight, she painted liS
fox that is pursued by the hounds, ant
the perspiration tTiclled down her FLUSHED
!, cheeks like rain on a window pane. Ye
she did not mean to give in, and the pres
ence of the baby seemed to make her al
the more determined to escape the fat
: which the tramp evidently intended for us
was just beginning to give way to de
spair when l heard my mistress exclaim
"Thank God, we are here at last! An
on looking round / saw the farmhouse
few hundred yards away. The farmer
daughter was standing in the doorway an
appeared surprised at seeing us running
so we ceased to hurry and approached tn
house at walk, thinking the tramp woul
give up the chase when he saw us draN
near. But in this case we were mistaken
II. I. 1t