The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1904-07-02

most Of which was covered with a
coarse. brlStling beard As he sham
blcd on through the heat and dHst his
eyes were fixed on the ground, but
now and then he raised his head slight
ly ana took rapid glance over the
fields and mp to the distant hills.
Presently he reached slight bend
In the road and. rounding this, ap.
proachcd a small frame house, entered
the yard carefully closing the gate
after him, and after standing irreso-
mtely a few moments walked across
the lawn.
AS he rounded the corner of the
house n little terrier rushed at him,
yelplng shril defiance and calling TO
the door of the Kitchen a tall woman
Of perhaps fifty years of age. Her
iron gray hair. brushed straight back
from her forehead, was caught In n
knot at the crown of her head and
held in place by steel comb. At the
an angular woman, which express
sion usually conveys the impression of
an angular disposition but the severe
plainucss of her appearance was re-
lieved by her eyes Soft gray they
were, with kind little wrinkles around
them, and they looked now at the
strange figure before her through spec.
tuclrS, with twinkle of qui2zical sym
pathy.
Quicting with a sharp word the zeal
Gus dog, which was still yelping
around the tramp, She leaned against
the doorpost drying her hands on Il
coarse towel ,Hnd surveying With II
4 slight smile of pity, shaded With con
/ tempt the ragged specimen of human
/ ity who stood tAoro aWkWarlN, liu
/ battered remnant OF hat gruSpcd in
! one hand and gazing at her with n
look which might have indicated sui
/ lenncss or respect.
"Well. what dye want, my man2 /
reckon somcthin' to eat an drink Il
about suit yc, ehf Jest YOU SET down
on the step there. an Ill see what |
can do fer We never could scare up
much affection fer tramp somehow,
! but | try to follow the Scriptural nd
vice bout the cup Of cold water, an
mehhc that was meant t include pie,
ef any was handy"
Not noticing the gesture OF dissent
from the tramp. she turned into the
kitchen and presently came back with
bowl of milk ana an immense pic,"
Of dried apple pie which she placed he
fore her guest, telling him TO set
down an pitch in"
The wuudcrer, though evidently not
suffering from hunger. ate ana drank
with apparent but not unrcstratncd
enjoyment The woman sat down on
the step above him and watched him
eat with an amused, ncarsighted eX-
preston
"Anuther thing makes me kinder feel
fer YOU tramps is my boy bcin' gone.
Nigh on to eight years nov since
kissed him goudhy down by the gate
yondcr an hc started off SO brave an
hopeful. like Lord, how proud | was
Of him, soin' away to make fortune
fer his mother but | thought my h"art
would burst as | seen him disappear
round the bond In the road up there
a.wuvlu' lis hand TO me, standin' look
in over tl" gate"
"Whcrc did Ii" goY asked III" tramp,
who was crourhing on th" step with
bent head The Woman's eyes were
fixed on the blue Hills in the distance,
and she did not notice him
"Out west Got It into his head hc
cd make pile of money ont there an
thought So, too, cause Tom was q
right smart lad an steady as Il rock.
An his letters was hopeful. too, but |
haven't hcrrd from him now these six
years. His fathers dead too died
three year ago from n horse Kick, 90
I'm alone"
Her voice grew trcmulous, but she
frightened again
"Somctlmcs. srttln' out there in front
o the house after tea do2n of, kinder
drenmin ana then | think | can sec
Tom comm up TO the gate, back tc
his old mother him grown man. An
when | wake up | always feel cold, an
have Il little cry to myself, an then
I'm oll right again fer ! know III
meet him up there whrn'
"Maybe hos not dead lie might
have gone wrong" said the tram
without raising his head
MY Tom go wrongf Why man, oi