The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-02
CHASED BY A TRAMP.

close by, and this in summer time was
much travelled on by tramps and disrepu-
table persons. But, as a rule, we at Mas
sizes took little heed of tramps, and few of
those who came to beg ever got served at
our door. If any did get served, they
were either the very needy or the particu-
larly cheeky" The former were relieved
out Of pity for their condition, the latter to
get rid Of them
But Mrs. Massie could deny even very
cheeky beggar'' IL she suspected him Of
being an impostor No doabt she did it
with more timidity than temerity, but
then there was usually a big dog or big
farm laborer within sound of her voice
Therefore she did do it occasionally. Only
that very forenoon she had refused to serve
q burly turnpike navy who begged hard
for piece Of bread and drink of milk.
You look strong and healthy Why
don't you work29 asked Mrs. Massie
:" How can folks work when there amt
any work for 'em to do?'' said he
There's plenty to do, If you only look
for It ia a likely place. = she replied
We been looking for il three months
and amt found it yet, = said he.
8 Then look for it till you do End it, -
said the Hnissis, and with that she banged
the door Ia his face and left him TO go his
way
thought it was rather unfeeling of Mrs
Massie 70 talk like that, but she had been
in 81 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 a good huTnor and asked me
to go for walk and take the baby, saying
it would do US good to get out bit So,
of course, I got ready, and we we're soon
enjoying the fresh air and the sunshine.
pike, but before long We came TO q narrow
lane which led to our nearest nsighbor'ss
whose farm was about q mile away.
The lane, except for birds and insects,
was as lonely a place as any one could wish
for Therefore we were not a little star
tied when, turning a corner, we came
upon a tramp-the very navy whom Mrs.
AIassie had 50 rudely dismissed that morn
ing.
He was lying in the shade Of thick
hedge, and he looked up as we passed
When I saw him through the kitchen win
dow that morning, I 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, I fancied he
looked quite ferocious Evidently he and
Mrs. Massie recognized each other, and it
was plain that this did not please her, for
she turned away from him with shuddeE,
as though she had seen a serpent
The navy must have seen that we were
afraid of hiIn. and no doubt this gave him
some satisfaction, but ve walked on quick
" and 81 silence, for neither Of US dared
trust ourselves to speak. When we we're
a little distance from him, however, Mrs.
Massie whispered to me to look round and
see If he was still lying down. I turned
my head and saw that the tramp was on
his feet and following as, and then I
grasped 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 at a quicker pace, as
though intending TO overUake rs At this
my mistress turned pale and trembled with
fear, exclainning-
Oh, heaven, he means to murder Us
both, and this innocent babe as WE'LL
What shall We do, Jennie; what shall We
dor
Give me the baby, and let as run for
our livesr' I 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, net daring to look back
upon our puFsuer We knew the tramp
was following, because we could hear him
shouting after us in loud and angry tones.
1t seemed that he was trying to brighten
US, but we ran on and never paused q mo
ment to hear WHIST he said
The farmhouse toward which we were
fastening was not yet in sight, but we ned
swiftly onward, hoping soon to find refuge
there and 10 gain the assistance of its in
mates- For awhile the tramp ceased to
shout. SO / glanced around to see If he WIS
still pursuing u.s. whereupon he raised his
weapon, and dourishing it above his head
shouted all the louder and more angrily
and made a more determined effort to
0ver6alze US.
Mrs. Mass3e was almost exhausted with
running, but still she refused to let me
have the baby. although I was the younger
and stronger and better able to carry it. In
her terror she seemed TO fancy the baby
was safer ia her arms than il would be in
mine, though I felt sure it would have
greatly relieved her If she had allowed me
to take the infant from her. Almost 4
breathless with the warmth Of the day and
the exertion of her flight, she painted like
q fox that is pursued By the hounds, and
the perspiration triezlsd down her flushed
cheeks like rain on window pane. Yet
she did not mean to give in, and the pres
enoe of the baby seemed to make her all
the more determined to escape the fate
which the tramp evidently intended for us.
was just beginning TO give way to de-
spair when heard my mistress exclaiEn,
Thank God, we are here at Iasbp' And
on looking round I saw the farmhouse 8
few hundred yards away. The farmers
was standing in the doorway and
appeared surprised at seaing as running,
so we ceased to hurry and approached the
house at walk. thinking the tramp would
give up the chase when he saw US draw
near But in this case we were mistaken,
as we had been all the while in his inten-
sion, fer he came en- without pausing and
followed rs close up to the door.
Then we saw what it was he had IN his
hand, for he held it out to Mrs. Massie,
sxclaiming:
Here. missis, here's yer umbrella Yer
take some catching
And. sure enough, it was her umbrella,
nrhich aha had arnnred xrhtle rasaina the