Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-06


one night years ago Mr.. Pitcher was
returning to his home, and when near his
gate saw an elderly man sitting. or lying
nv the side Of the railroad track he
spoke 90 tho old fellow kindly and asked
hin, N come ND 10 the house. The tramp
a,ose etiaiv. the night air was chill, ana
SnIiov,o5 Mir Pitcher TO the house. some
cetables were provided for him. and nc
90 rovonouslv. Mr.. Pitcher then showed
him to bed
Tho next morning the old man was
Given breakfast While he was eating,
Air Pitcher drew from him something
of his life. He learned that his name
was Graves and that he was porn IN :"
Northern state OF wealthy, OF "'"-'o
do PARENTS. He received a COLLEGIATE eu-
ucation and was thon sent 10 EulllDul a
10 study medicine. lie graoud'Cu' ""u
otter travelling abroad, returned nome.
M. so,,ofblne happened. The man
,,onld never tell what 1t was and Mr.
15ucror and his wife could only speculate
e. "a tho nature OF the circumstances
- drove q Young man of education, re-
,ne,nent and wealth TO the r04o' MI
ppcher thinks o. woman was al the Do'-
tom Of II. Perhaps the old fellow loFeu
too well when a. hot-heaueu Nou'n'
loved and trusted where ne ousnl IL
-, Al any rate. something cataclyshdl
10 him Give up the practice OF ms pio-
-'-etor VI learned the trade OF mousse
-.t,r.~ Then ne became tramp no
t,1 heen tramping for years Wheh MI
Pitcher found him. x5,s
,rra old man told his story well MS
conversation showed he was poIn q
gentleman. and that he was an eGuo9' c'
co.. mis- health seemed terribly bIoNe H..
~
house. and in return for MS uI'''''
do such work as he was aDie' Mr.
M. offer was gladly accepted N /.
1,urbor made the old fellow rest up lol
- f.,y DAVIS before allowing MIN 10 40 -.-y
- lie improved wonderiuliy un-
Tor careful treatment tho cnleI IV"
tures of which were sneller'
meals regularly eaten, ana rest r,irs,
T, and bv he went to work j. iIS'
tinted every building in sight. lhcn
H.. 0fd a great deal of such N"iN ~
-Irbhors for which be received com
-,'s,tion He became immensely popu.
r,.er,bodv I'm the community O"I't
20 -. him. Every body liked MIN. ii'
- "a great faVOrite with the ch'le' 1tfo
Ruf nothing regarding ms % ,.htch
cofld be learned further IMAM .l" T-,,,1
bo told soon after Mr.. Pilcher MS III a.
~, and which 1 have set DOWN iiI
MN - thot Graves was not his real
uaue He would not tell lHe pi"Oo "'0''
ne T7e died several years after coming 10
~ 1vlth Mr.. Pitcher. His secret re-
roained n secret 20 the END.
NJ pitcher found in one or the man
rocyets a letter from resident OF ma
dolphia. whose address was bNCH D
wrote the gentleman asking LOT SOME III III
formation regarding the old man. ~
renlv stated that no more was Nno"-
tbaf had been related 10 MT. flCLvl' .,
N-cor TO the Pitcher home at Midland j
81 crave I'm which the OLD WahutIV
sleeps. Every Mcmorial-Day MIS-. ~.
Dlaces upou the green mound pulln VI
triobt flowers. TO signify that even
framp's memory may sometimes DE ire"
snred bv those he left behind.
O,a Cbristmas-Day Mr.. and Mrs. Pr
~ at I'm their cosey dining-room'
having lust finished discussing a oounu-
c,,1 country Christmas dinner The tuINey
US Immense. Mr.. Pitcher remarked u
80 wife that they had hardly mace az
,,,r,roeeion upou IT, Its breast was h'u'
hacked maybe q part OF the ies VI
gone. some OF the dressing was rtHoe 90
Mr. Pitcher observed that he wisheu
tramp would come along ~,
A. mar instant no CHANGED 20 glance ou'
tho WINDOW IN AllE VII NNNtNt' ~
- lie eaw q. tramp coming mp the walH
-, the house. Mr.. Pitcher took Up th'
SIsh on which rested the big TURKEY 1So am ant
80. c,,t iuto the hall and 20 the rom
49, 49, which was closed. lie stood listen
GO, cor Ee heard the tramp come up IN.
steps and on to the porch H Hs beard tb 9T
ehambir to the door. Ar. PnchGr . .,,orS
open Vt, Sish containing the turkey inu
w., ''t gece Of the astonished tramp. .o,,.n
The fellow leaped back in a aa,o tb,
mont. Mr. Pitcher s'eppeu - I~, toward
norcb gHl handing the turkey toT han,
''5 5a93d way and took the biz ,, o,Td
Nei,her Of the men had spoken c %UrG
Tho tramp started down me ,5 s'sg1, reach
ing ne turkey In his hands bci''9
Eng zinc bottom he turned "a 20 On
I'D IKE 10 have some bread Ia 10 ' %,
with the bird" he said. as ne S'o'u ~
"rherg's bread enough inside him 10 u, "
for Two birds" said Mr.. Pilcher' spe"N