The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-21

was pioddlng along the
highway. said the tramp.
after he had been coaxed
~ to tell a story, 7 came
along to a farmhouse. with
the farmer standing at the gate was
passing by with a nod to him, when he
called out for me to stop, and added:
=. Say, do you happen to know any
thing about q moving n1achine2'
= I've seen a few in my time,' re-
Piled. What IS the matter with yours?'
$ That's what want to find out. The
thing has got tangled up some way and
won't work, and I'm in stew about it.
Come over into the field and take a look
at it.
Pm something of a mechanic, and I
hadn't looked twice at the mower be
fore I saw what was out of kilter. III
five minutes I had fixed it and it was
singing away. The farmer told me to
go to the house and get a bite to eat,
and wait till he came up from the hay
field. While waiting I split up lot of
wood put hinge on the woOdshed door
and repaired the well curb, and when
the farmer and his two hired men came
up to supper I heard the good house
wife saying:
e 'Obediah. if this Teller is a tramp
he's the smartest one that's ever been
along this road, He's done enough work
to pay for staying over Sunday. If you
can get him to talking tonight III bet
he'll tell something interesting
II had on fairly good suit of clothes
and had had a shave the day before,
and / was invited to sit down with the
family to the evening meal An hour
| later, when the milking had been done.
everybody took seats on the side veran-
da, and knew what was coming Sew
eraI hints were thrown out, and then
the farmer said:
g Stranger. I'm wondering little bit
why you took to tramping Perhaps
you won't object to telling US.
con the veranda- were the farmer
and his wife, two hired men and an
old maid named Fanny. One of the
| hired men was in love with Fanny, and
/ the fact that she had spoken to me
| three or four times had aroused his
jealousy. When. Miss Fanny, who was
the farmers sister had smiled at me
and said she was sure that had. some
| thing Of interest to tell, and when the
hired man had frowned at her and
! looked daggeFs at me, I began:
II do not care to give you nay
/ name. Suffice it to say that my people
| were wealthy and of high social stand
ing, and that was an only child.
/ When my college education was COM
/ pleted went abroad, and it was while
returning on the steamer that fell in
/ love with ali the ardor of a young
man of twenty-threes The young lady
! in the case was the daughter of q Bos-
ton merchant. She was twenty, and in
/ looks and character she was ell that
one could ask for insher sex. It WAS a
case Of love at first sight with US both,
! and before the steane1 reached New
! York we We're betrothed. '-7s
What the devil rfssthat?' aske3 The
hired man, who wanted to butt in with
something mean. 's'
cit means that they were engaged
to be. married, youe doltl' eb1untlyA ex-
planned the farmer. While, Miss Fanny
! looked ait the fellow repr0Yinglys a-e
After a week / resumed, I went
! to Boston to tell Lulu's- father that ]
loved her and wished his consent to a
1 speedy marriage. He raised no objec-
4 tons. On the contrary he hiRted thai
4 he would feel honoEed .by having me
for a .son-in-laW. 1y-people were will
ing. and for month I was in the sew
enth heaven of happiness. Then q ait.
4 tie circumstance changed the current
| of two lives. My father was the In
ventor of that brea kfast food KIN own
/ as Barley Snaps. Her father was she
4 inventor Of that breakfast food known
\ as Barley Drops. Each claimed that
4 he had struck the biggest thing on
earth. Each brought fJrwar1 testi-
nfonials. slurred at the other, and the
result was a bitter quarrel, and I was
! warned that Lulu could never, never
I marry the son of a liar. Ny father
i announced that no son of his SHOULD
! ever marry the daughter of q fraud