The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-03-07
THE TRAMP.

"o S0AJ OOAn ANO AdLtPs 44A6
coat was a marvel of grease and tatters,
on one foot he wore a tolerably respect
able boot, while the toes of the other
protruded through a very ragged shoe,
and his hat would never have been rec
ognized for that article of headgear if 1t
had not been upon his head. Altogether
he might have been the original of the
funny papers latest edition of Weary
Willie.
At present he was resting. This was
the chief occupation of his life, his pro-
f~ession, as it were, and after many
years of experience he had succeeded in
bringing it down to a very fine point,
being able to pursue it under the most
unfavorable conditions and in circum-
stances that would have daunted an or
binary mortal. Such Is the result of
practical
Just now the conditions were ex-
tremely favorable, the day being warm
and the fence corner grass grown and
shady, so the tramp lay upon his back,
with leg thrown over the other and
his hat pulled down over his forehead.
Over in the field opposite a farmer
was blowing up stubble, pausing now
and then to wipe his perspiring face,
while his blue shirt chung in damp
streaks to his skin.
The tramp watched him m~editatively.
81 wonder why people like to work."
he soliloquized. "Queerl They're al
ways a-doin somethin. Now, l amt
never done anythin, and l git along
just the same. l bet that chap owns
this whole place all round here, but he
amt havin as good a time as l am,
and | amt got a red cent. l wonder
what people want to be always workin
for when they might be takin it easy
It's a funny world. Wisht I had a
chaw of %terbaccer."
By and by the tramp climbed the
fence and began to investigate a hay
stack standing a short distance from
the road.
Nights well fix my bed for to-
night" he said and squirmed into the
heart of the stack. Presently he heard
the sound of voices. 1t was probably
the farmer, and he lay still in his hid
ing place.
"Of course $50 is a little early for
u biz, but that is a through train and
bound to be worth more than either of
the other two.
"But there will be more people on it.
Whats the odds2 A dozen more or
less. They won't sit heavy on our con-
sciences.
tits a dead easy thing too. All it
takes is grit. Well be pretty sure to
strike a gold lined pocket or two before
they can make out what's happened.
And if any enc turns up beforehand ?"
''Shoot him dead. We don t stand no
trifing. You stand at the bottom of
the gully; amt likely to be a soul walk
that track, but if there is crack him
dead without a word. I'll take care of
my part. | tell you, I'm desperate, and
if Look, there's a man over in that
field. Get around on the other side. He
didn't see us. Make a bee line for that
hedge. We cam
The voices died away. The tramp
turned over on his side.
"Train wreckersl Well, it amt no
business of mine, he grunted.
Nevertheless the vision of a wrecked
train disturbed his nap, and he crawled
out of his hole. He sat on the fence and
nursed his ragged foot. watching the
sunset.
cts a pity for so many people. l
guess some of 'em would be young, too;
maybe some little babies; maybe a
Teller about my age. They're all a-look-
in at the sun for the last time if they
only knew it.
What kind of a queer feeling was
this? He tried to whistle it off, but it
only came back the stronger. The
frogs singing had never disturbed him
before, but tonight it sounded weird
and sad, and after awhile the very stars
came out and looked at him as if they
knew something about it.
What a strange thing it must be to
diel Maybe somebody be waitin and
waitin for some of those people to come
home"
Not in his remotest past could he re-
member any love, but somehow he I'M
derstood this waiting.
The frogs sung on, the young moon
sailed slowly down the heavens, and
by and by the tramp climbed off the
fence and slouched away down the
road. Hanging beside a stable door he
had seen a lantern when he passed that
afternoon, and he crept up, hooked it
off the nail and went on his way. He
had no definite purpose in view except
that he was going toward the gully,
and it might be useful. 81 never did
do anything, and l always got along.
But it's a pity to let them all die. Bet
ter to have one old Teller go. l wonder
how it feels to diel"
He shuddered a little and seemed to
hear the voice again. ''Shoot him
Ieadl'
He sat down by the roadside snd said
sullenly: st amt lone of my bust
ness. l amt got nothin to do with it
1t don't concern me any"
But after awhile he went on again.
''It must be 8 o'clock now" he said.
The mig t had grown dark and
cloudy onlJ a few stars glittered at in
tervals through the flying rack. The
tramp had cached the head of the gull
ly. It was OF very deep, but sufficient
to cause a t rrible disaster. The track
sloped around a curve a few yards be-
yond and Just here ran over a narrow
bank Of earth ~slanting abruptly down
On either side.
The tramp lit his lantern, and, TAX
ing off mis- coat. wrapped it carefully
around. Then he lay down on the ties,
fat on his face, and began to creep
slowly along, squirming and crawling
like a worm.
After a seemingly endless time Of
creeping and feeling carefully with his
hands he felt the smooth cold steel of
the track end abruptly. The rail had
been removed just at the highest point
in the gully.
Now he had nothing more to do but
wait. And be killed. He wondered how
it felt to be shot. A strong desire to
get up and run took possession of him,
but he might just as well be shot saw
ing the train as now, so he lay still.
"Maybe 1 won't be killed. l might
git through some way. An old no
count like me nd be likely to git
through with a whole hide. Anyway,
'twon't be much lost. If 'twould only
comel"
1t seemed an hour since he had lain
there; then he heard the rumbling and
the distant ''whoo-o-whoo-o-o,"
and in a minute the train rounded the
curve. The tramp flung his coat into
the gully and sprang to his feet, a
ing the lantern up and down over his
head. Five pistol shots rung out sharp
" above the noise of the train. the Ian
tern tumbled into the gully, and the
tramp fell forward across the track, the