Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-09-19
THE TRAMP'S ROMANCE.

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A huge pile of long hickory sticks. a
tiny little heap Of sawed wood. n long.
lazy boy lying In the grass beside the
Idle saw and buck--that was what the
tramp saw IL he looked over the high
board fence into the barn yard.
"OlL how | do wish pad let me 60
iishin after dinner, and then ia finish
this wood pile tomorrow! hut he
woil't.'--that was what the tramp
heard as ut last the big lazy boy got
VI ana went to work again.
SAY. sonny. don't you want some
body 10 saw that wood for your" asked
the tramp.
you bet" responded John. turning
around.
I'm the man will do it. If you'll give
me u bite to cat"
"All right" assontcd John. eagerly.
Why not give u poor tramp his dinner,
besides securing for himself the prom.
isrd dime with which to buy fish hooks
and such:
over the fence came the tramp with
bound, AMI at once began work. lie
1ad the appearance of being u happy
.cllow--and not one lit sad. nor bad.
nor hungry looking. such MS u tramp
generally j.. lie was smiling ali the
time "" worked. ~ else vas whistling.
oEd Il millionaire could not have
seemed io'licr cr better contcntcd with
Ii- lnt In lifl Ia. lpl A. A..
hair. u clean shaver face. dark blue
eyes. ana his clothes were far above
the average for tramp. Johnnie
laid down In the grass again and
stared at his cmploycc-not that u
tramp was 10y any means u rarity in
Dubdulc, but this one was such a queer
tramp.
Guess YOU can get mo my grub
now, sonny" hc remarked after u bit.
I'm most through with this job. and
as | ate u remarkably early breakfast.
and have tramprd twelve or fifteen
miles, I'm about ready to dine"
Chance favored Johnnie rs she does
many a worse rogue. 81 that Just rs his
mother returned from u neighbours,
whcrc she had gone to borrow some
little thing for dinner. her schcming
son disappeared through the barn yard
gate.
"I.a.-that boy couldn't wait till din.
ner. exclaimed the good lady rs she
brushed up the crumbs Johnnie. In his
haste. had left behind. Poor child! he
must be- hungry" SO she pokcd up tho
hrc. and made everything burn for an
early dinner.
Johnnie brought his tramp q cup Of
hot coffee. and good substantial lunch.
How long have you been tramplngy"
hc inquired, as the tramp began his
meal.
"AbOut six years. I reckon"
"Gec whiz! don't you get awful
tired"
stop and rest when I get tired. No,
! like tramping first rutc--always
something new going on. and. besides,
I'm always free TO do just as ! please"
"Ain't II pretty tough in wintcr!'
was Johnnlc's next question.
II generally steer southwark when
winter IL coming on. I've been In n
good many places In these United
States, youngstcr, and hct I get more
fun out of lifc-morc real. honest fun,
that don't hurt nobody. than dozen
OF these fellows all put together. that
stay NJ home"
"fc-cs." nsscntca Johnnie. "but don't
you want To see your folks. nor nothln'
l!k" that"
mo. Amt got any folks. That don't
need to worry mo any"
"ics, but Id think you would want
TO stay In one place ana get rich and
have nice clothes, and all that" per-
sisted Johnnie, who was almost con-
WINGED of the glorlcs of tramp life.
'Sce here, sonny, I've had more
money than you ever seen" rctOrcd
the tramp, looking toward thc house,
by which he CCuld form some estimate
Of its financial standing, "Tcn years
ago was worth forty thousand dol.
lars And the tramp looked impress.
sivc.
"My.y stars" CALCULATED Johnnie,
catching his breath. "Wcll. you amt
got II now-what's gone with III"
"oh-no need to talk about that"
replied the tramp alrlly. Had Jolly
good time with II, and amt one bit
sorry It's gone. Dress nice? There
wasn't bigger swell in town than mo,
ANA | drove fine horses, ana all that
sort Of thing, You know. liur when
a." cash was gone, and you bet | mad"
II 0V after | Nyus ~ my uuut u.I,