The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1898-12-30

day and had not been well treated At
many houses he had been turned away
without ceremony; at others work had
been offered. Only one woman had
taken him in and fed him for nothing,
and she had given him soda bread
which always disagreed with him, and
cold tea. The profession was not what
il had been cracked up to be, thought
the tramp, and he began to think that
the burglar had the best Of it after all.
He had always called himself an honest
man. and he now and then split wood,
when he could not get food without,
but, after all, was honesty the best pol
icy? He knew burglars who had their
little houses as neat and pretty as any
one would ask to see. Texts round the
walls. too, ''God bless our Home" and
all that. The tramp liked pretty text
This very afternoon he had been walk
ing with a burglar-they separated
when they came 10 the village in mu-
tual though friendly distTust-whO was
going home with a New Years present
for his little boy-a gold watch It was.
He had taken it from an old cur
mudgeOn who kept 1t locked in a box
doing no good to anybody. That bur
glar was going home to have coy
time with his wife and child, and here
was he, a tramp. an honest man, and not
able to get a bite Of supper. Decidedly,
tramping was not what he had been led
to believe #. He thought he should try
stealing. after all; he stopped, full of
thought, and looked around him.
A bright light shOne from the win
dow Of a cottage hard by; the blind was
up; the tramp stepped to the window
and looked in. A neat, bright, coy
kitchen, a little old woman busy over
the stove. No sign Of masculine pres
ence anywhere.
s'I'u try hereI" said the tramp.
He opened the door without knock
ing and went in. The little woman
looked up. Good evenin'l" she said.
81 didn't hear ye knock. What can Id
for YEP"
Il want some money" said the tramp
hOarsely, for he had made up his mind
now
''WeIl, I haven't got a cent?" said the
little woman. "and II had wouldn't
be fool enough TO give it to you So
there II is. you see! But you can dc
something for mel" she added, bright
II. You've come just in the nick o.
time. want this soup taken to a sick
boy round in the next street. His
mother il sick. too, and can't cox
things nice as be ought TO have EN-;
hasn't means to get 'em. neither, eN-
pect; and set out that he should have
something good and hot to go to sleep
on and begin the new year with nOur-
ishment inside him."
All the time she was talking the little
woman was busy getting out bowl
and cover and finding clean napkin.
"Here!" she said. and she Pourel
some Of the steaming broth into a
small cup. ''See If that amt good! I
guess likely It's"
The tramp gIOwered at her, but
drank the broth and said it was good
Then you take thisi" said the little
woman. go round the corner to the
fourth white house and say it's for
Tommy. What ye waitin' for?'
81 didn't come here 70 do errandsI"
said the tramp
Yes. YOU did, said the little woman.
sharply. That's just what you come
for. I've been vaitin' the past half hour
for the Lord 10 send some one-I cant
20 out at night myself, fear Of thu
asthmy-and He's sent you Reckon
He knows what Hes about"
She pushed the tramp out gently but
decidedly and shut the door on him
wei, 7 swami" said the tramp.
he carried the bowl safely to the
rourth white house from the corner.
Once, indeed. be stepped On the way
md muttered 30 himself.
-TemmyI" ne Ezid, and his tone ez-
P7sssed deep tpiuET. eFeu'd think