The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-02-18
A DRUMMER'S TALE.
THE ONE TIME HE ERRED IN RE-
FUSlNG A BEGGAR'S PLEA

pertence That May or May Not Teach
Lesson in Charity.
ut is an old story" said the drum
mer, as he took fresh cigar, "and per-
haps you have heard it before, but it
s one of the best on record, and
firmly believe that it is true. The first
time l heard it l was not in nice,
comfortable hotel like this, but away
out in little country town. We were
seated around huge wood fire, and a
stiff wind on the outside made us feel
ike we were the most fortunate peo-
pie in the world. The wind grew in
force AL the while, until at length the
weather turned bitter cold. The
thoughtful and generous landlord heap
ed the wood high up in the broad fire.
place, the logs cracked and the flames
cared merrily up the chimney, bidding
defiance to the warning elements with
but
1.-THE town was just thirty-five miles
out from Memphis, but it was off the
'ailroad bit. Several Of us had ta-
zen long drives across the country that
around the big fire were a number of
RUNNERS, basking in the warm room
md smoking their cigars and pipes.
Now, you know by experience, young
man, that as soon as a drummer eats
mis- supper and lights his cigar, he will
tell story in spite of all you can do
So, of course, We commenced to relate
our experiences without delay. We
first discussed the matter of giving
aims to beggars, and, as we were all
city folks, we dismissed the topic with
out much talk, having determined that
it was unadvisable to bestow money on
persons Unfortunately.
I'VE all laughed and joked for long
while, and the big fire had almost
burned out l noticed a young fellow
in the crowd who had not spoken a
word all during this time. He sat in
4 corner near the fireplace and seemed
to be meditating, for his cigar was be-
tween his fingers, and the ashes on it
showed that he was not very much in
.erested in the smoking proposition.
He had a queer face. 1t was the face
If young man who was prematurely
Did. His eyes were bright. yet
he wrinkles on his brow and
he hardened appearance of his
features seemed to indicate that
1e was older than he appeared.
He was dressed in the usual
1eat attire of drummer, At length
le al se and stood up before thu
whole party as If he intended to make
speech. 1t was growing trifie chilly
the room, and the landlord had be-
come dtowsy and was asleep on long
bench.
"'You fellows can refuse a beggar,'
oegaL the drummer, as he looked all
If us squarely in the face, but never
will { want to tell you little story.
It was just such a night as this and
had started from my hotel in st. LOU
to walk down to the theater. 1t was
'earfully cold; the snow was on the
street several inches deep and the
lark, low clouds looked as II more
would fall batore morning. I buttoned
ny top coat close around my throat
and hurried along the sidewalk. AS l
.urned corner, sharp gust of cold
wind almost took me off my feet.
While l was settling my hat back on
my head again man hobbled up to
me and asked me to give him some
noney, SO that he could get q place ia
sleep. / dismissed him with a tart re.
ply and walked on. There was some
thing peculiar about that man which
attracted my attention. He had pair
Of large blue eyes that seemed to stare
into my very soul. l walked briskly
and tried to forget him, but had not
proceeded far before he overlook me
again and pleaded with me to give him
a quarter. l was foolish in those days
land did not like to get soft-hearted, so
Il told him that if he did not leaye me
at once would call policeman.
"'That night I sat in the warm the
alter, where were gathered the best
people in the city. There were scores
of pretty women there, but somehow I
didn't care to look at them. Every
where | looked could see large pair
Of blue eyes staring at me pitifully. !
same eyes haunted me. l dreamed
THAT some one was under my window
crying in the cold for help, and l
cursed him and told him to leave me
alone.
1.-The next morning awoke, and
after breakfast walked down the
street. l had not gone far when l saw
crowd of men standing near the cor
ner. There was evidently something
WrpFg. and gut Of curiosity walked
up to see what was going on, In the
center of the group was figure of
man lying stiff in the snow. Some one
turned the dead man over on his back
and when a policeman brushed the
snow off the face of the corpse a big
pair of blue eyes stared me straight in
the face. 1t was the man l had re-
fused, and he had died of exposure
These eyes haunt me still, Feu fel-
lows can refuse a beggar, but 1 never