The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1902-01-02
THEIR DAY AT NOME.


viih shaggy beard ssd smsli. blooishc
ey-. His ns,. pulled lov over bis Tor
head. vs minu. part oi The croso. bl
eos, va col si th~ slboss sui hn shoe
we're oai si the tos HI. ssrs vsuasre
10 The bis plsead tba us fastened I
ssis beside hin. II read % follows.
TO caLLsRA
We ARs hone ALoNa
Please cone RGHTiS
THiN0s TO eat UP srAiRS
The men stared hsrd st T.. then lo2ke'
vondefinsiy si the bosss. IL y. lsre
old -fsshiored dwelling With side potcbs
and . yes,ihnled entrance. From % ul
per vincow peered iso snIious little To-
%. The mao looked from them 10 th
pisesfd sssin. lie rsresd IL slowly.
We ere st home -slontl Please come :
right ini BY Jiusoi be eyoIsimed sloud
lthst means yonl Jeremish Todd. my
boy, tbs, means youl Things TO es, ug
stairs. be eoptinued. Humptl | lih'
that sounds bospi.sble. BE looked csr
tiously along the avenue, bu, nobod,
seemed ws,chipg, and he closed the gait
behind him.
The ctilifen's faces had disappeared
from lbe window, and 10 the plsyrcom l
little girl YES cliuains to her brother. Oh
Tom, she sobbed. I'm 80 scared.
There vas lump in the boys own
throat. bu, be usniully choksd 1t down.
He's come . calling, Ethel. be said. and
ws u1ust be polite. Mother used TO have
lots Of people oa her days at home you
| know.
Were they like that, do you think,
Tomf asked TIE little girl.
Um -msybe so, be answered doubtfully.
The man walked quickly mp the steps;
there was something steslthy and cstlike
10 bis tread. BY special Invitation, Jere
mish Todd, he said to himself, and there's
silver 10 thst house, I'll bet cookisl
Please come right this way, said timid
little voice, and there on the landing
above him stood The children. hsnd-in.
hsud.
The tramp stared st them.
Please cone right this way. repeated
the little voice. Tom and / sre entertain
log alone.
The man stumbled toward them. and
the little girl beld out her hand. We're
very glad you've come, she said shyly.
You're the FIRST csller that we've had.
The tramp becsms suddenly aware OF
bic muddy boots and rsin-sosked clothing:
be almost wished be were oo the streets
sgsib,
Ethel led the way TO the plsyroom.
There was . genial warmth from the iurn
ACE Are. end everything looked bright
and CHEEKY. In the centre Of the room
stood Q table with an embroidered teH
cloth upon it. To be snre, the cloth was
N much too long. and dragged at both ends,
but that did not mstier. In the middle
vas . latter with . crisp roast chicken,
gsrlsnded with pepper leaves. There
we're jams and jellie and fruit 10 sbun
dance.
We've never given IN at home before.
sud We don't know iust what to do, the
little girl said suxiously. Would you
rather have some chicken Hrst. or hear us
sine9
Or sec me stand op my hesdi asked
Tom.
The man eyed the table sresdily. l
hsvent bsd thing TO eat today. be said.
Wh-yf exclaimed Ethel. Did your moth
er 90 away tool Bow iunnyI Then che
busted herself about the fowl.
The tramp ate ravenously, You're 10
luck, Jeremiah Todd, be chuckled to him
self
The little girl interrupted bis thoughts.
Do you slwsys make oslls on peoples
days at home che ssked.
The man started. There had been
timo when be had bad friends, and bad
c,lled upon them, too. bat 1t wss many
years ego and the memory WIS vague.
No. be answered, Then there wss . 81
lepce. The children looked perpIexed.
Oar mother used TO have wbols lots OF
people come sometimes, remarked Tom
Of last, Sbe sent on. little invitstions
the msil; We havent time. you
see. so | put big one 90 the gate. Did
you ever come to see our mother2
No. said the tramp assin.
He bad 6oished his repsst. and pile Of
orange and banana peel upon bic plste
that be had reiished IL.
Ethel looked snxions. I'm sfrsid. she
timidly sail. thst perhaps you aren't On
joyins. Tom, she continued. turning TO
ber brother. you'd better stand on yonr
bead. snd then veil sins.
The boy promptly obeyed. bat the
tramp scarcely noticed him.
Shsii we sing novf asked tbs little girl.
There YES eptrssty 10 ber voice. -she vss
trying 90 hard TO be polite. There's one
sons shout Old Dane Pussy Cat, and
.hsn there's Father, We Thsnk Thee,
aud God L,ses Everything. Which
sonld Jon likei
rm sirsid. said the men, that / can't
sisy. Suppose you take me through The
house instead.
TIE children exchanged looks. Mother
don't generally take her callers round,
answered.
Thsts beesose che hss 90 many oil ..
once. said the tramp. His voice vss very
soft and cosiine. snd be ed sed toward the
door