The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-07

slices of bread and cheese, and on this
substartum he finally poured down
tail mug of beer.
AT length he leaned back. wiping his
smiling mouth. and suddenly remem-
bered Chardo lying by the roadside
With mulled, but robust impreca-
tion, he Sprang up.
See here, perhaps I am a tramp"
''No, no. you have not IA tramp's face.
my pretty young gentleman. Nor do
you speak like tramp
"If having no money, no work. no
food to speak of in days, and not a NOR
sci since yesterday morning. is being
tramp, I'm tramp fast enough.
and I'll not deny it. But I'm an hon
est man. and / shan't be a tramp long,
| promise you. Now, see here. While
I've been gorging myself, beast that
am. my chum's down there in the road,
i'll and worn out and aching for food.
And ! just want you to give me lot
of things for him as fast as ever you
can. some of that coffee, and bread,
and"
"Tll boil him some eggs" she pro-
posed. briskly.
"EngelmutterChcn! Boil half q doZ
en-. Make uD good parcel, will you
anything you happen to have. Cake,
If you have got bit. He likes cake.
Or even cold pudding. | don't sup
pose you've got piece of meat? Never
mind. A lot of that cheese, please.
It's awfully good cheese. And what's
your name and your sons and the
children's. and all your names? Some
day I'll come back in different fash
ion. and you'll never he sorry as long
as you live that l did my first begging
in your house. What I've eaten I'll
take as gift from you to me" he went
on. with a flashing smile, and. shaking
bottle her hands, las your bounty. Nut
terchen. and I'll bless you for it while
l live. But all this pile here. I'm bor-
rowing. you understand. I'm your bona
fide debtor. and I'll lay compound in
terest-youll see!'
II see you are a merry young gentle
man. and l love your jest" Somewhat
hypnotiZed by his eagerness and nerve.
she 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-flled basket,
And if you don't mind my saying it
if | were you, | wouldn't call myself
tramp and beggar, because she added
with a smile of yellow sagacity, some
folks never know now foolish they are"
"Oh, angelgranny. l thank thee for
that word" thought Florio fastening
down the hill. 1T shall be the corner
stone of Chardo's fortune"
''Nunc Dlaudite. There's coffee in
that beer bottle"
Richard whistled.
"Regged or stoen?"
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" FlOro returned
with a swagger, his chest well out, his
feet planted far apart, his face flushed
and smiling.
Richard after long pull at the COM
forting bottle. sazed up with affection
ate, yet somewhat pathetic eyes, and
muttered:
You ara such donkey!" and turned
his face quickly aside.
IT'S all right. little one. Amuse
yourself now with that basket. Stay
where you are and keep house. I'm off
for the third trip. They always go three
times. my prototypes. you know
Noahs weary dove and the other fell
lows
Leaving the main road he struck off
at random. by narrow ways through the
vineyards, where men in blue blouses
were STOPPING in the strong sunshine
hard at work loosening the rocky soil
round the yine-roOts.
Most of them look as if they might
casually suspect what fools they are
7 must find one who as Granny Aristo-
tie said-never knows. This old bump
kin may do"
Negligently leaning on a stone wall
he gazed at nothing in particular and
began to whistle.
Beyond q surly glance now and then
the vintner paid no heed to the idle fell
low. but gradually, after the fashion uf
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. 1t is true. only by grunts.
which. however, Florio vent,ired to hope
were designed rather to sustain. than to
repress, intercourse. Meanwhile he
relentlessly noted that the blue figures
against the brown warm earth. along
the whole broad hill. were fer the most
part fairly young little men advano-
ing rapidly from hillock to hillock