The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-25
HENRY AND THE SAW
WI 80 49, Il ~.IsH- =
THEY CAME TOGETHER TO SAVE A
THIRSTY TRAMP.

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The Weary Wayfarer Wanted Ten Cents
but Henry speny Knew tho Money Wouit
Go For Drinks-Hls Odd Ruse to Outul
the Tramp and Its Sequel.
Summer was here and the day wa.
warm. Henry Speny had been walking
and now stood at the corner of two streets
mopping his brow. Henry Spsny was
conservative, and although Mrs. Speny
had that morning gone almost to the from
tiers Of 6st fight to mako him change hi
underwear for tho lighter and more gauzy
apparel Of jocund July Henry Speny had
refused. He WAS now paying the piper,
and was jDst thinking how much more
Mrs. Speny knew than he did when the
tramp came up.
"Podner," said the tramp in q low,
cultural whine, intended to escape the car
Of the police and touch Henry Speny g
heart at one and the same time-"podner,
couldn't you assist poor man little9"
Assist poor man to WHAT" asked
Henry Speny, returning his handkerchief
to his pocket and looking at the tramp.
He was q fat, healthy tramp, in good
condition. Henry Speny hardened his
heart
"Dime replied the tramp; dime to get
something to eat"
mo. Not on your lifel" said Henry
Speny shortly. "I'm half dozen meals
behind the game myself"
This last was only Henry Spenys hu.
NOR. Mrs. Speny fed him twice a day,
but Henry Speny knew that the tramp
wanted the dime for whisky.
"Well II you don't think l want II to
chew on, !" said the tramp, lust take mo
to bakery and buy me a loaf of bread.
III git away with 1t right before you"
Say, remarked Henry Speny in tono
OF sarcastic irritation, whats the use Of
your talking to meS There's charity
woodward in this town where, If you were
really hungry, you would go and saw
wood for something to eat. You can get
two meals and bed for saving one,six.
teonth Of a cord Of wood"
"You can't saw wood with no such fin
asthis, podner, said the tramp. And pull
Ina dt his coAt sleeve he displayed to
Henry speny an arm as withersd as a
dead tree. "The others all right" he
continued, restoring his coat sleeve, "but
volts one arm In n catch as catch can
racket with bucksawF'
Henry Speny was conscious stricken,
but he would defeat the tramp in his efforts
to buy whisky.
I'm go down to the woodward and saw
your wood myself" said Henry Speny.
Ho told Mrs Speny afterward that he
could not account for the making of this
offer unless 1t was his anxiety to keep the
tramp sober. All tho tramp wanted was
10 cents, and for Henry Speny to propose
to saw ono.siKtoeuth Of cord of hard wood
on hot day when a dime would have
mado all things even was conundrum
too deep for Henry Speny as he looked back
oror tho transaction, but he did make the
proposal, and the tramp accepted with
grin of gratitude.
There were 20 sticks In that one. six
tenth Of a cord--hard, knotty sticks too,
And each one had to DO sawed three times
80 cuts in all. 1t WAS a Door buckssw.
Before he had finished tho third stick
Henry Spcny declared that 1t was the most
bsastly bucksaw he ever handled in his
life. The buck itself was wretchcd buck
and wouldn't stand still while Henry Speny
sawed It had q habit Of tippiDg over. and
when Henry Speny nut his knee on the
stick to steudy the refractory buck the
knots tore his trousers aud nado his leg
black and blue Then the pcrspiration got
in his owes and made them smart When
he wiped itnway, no cav two of his friends
lnoking at him in O shocked, sober way
from across the street. They passed on
and told everybody that Henry Spcny was
down at the charity woodward saving
wood for his food. They said, too. that
they had reason to believe he did this ey.