The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-26

in this case it's better than the truth.
1t brings her consolation and elation
and tickles her vanity. and it brings
me good meal and a coat or a pair
of trousers.
We'll take it that the woman is a
widow of middle age. / can always
make pretty straight guess at it, If
she's at all fair and has a good farm
and not too many children it can be
inferred that she will marry again.
appear at the back door while she is
peeiing potatoes for the evening meal.
She looks up with frown / meet
1t with smile and a lift of my cap
and observe that I'm after a drink at
the old oaken bucket Woman's
, curiosity will lead her to come to the
door to look me over. Then is my
time to say:
Madam, if you won't be offended
III tell you a rather queer thing
We'll, what is it?'
You must know at least some of
the windmill. wire-fence men and
sewing machine agents who drive
along here?'
;" Yes, know three or four. and
what of it
was sitting on the steps of a
store in the village this morning when
three of men got to talking about you.
They didn't mention you by name, but
now | see who they mean
Talking about me? How dare
they!
oh, you shouldn't be angry.
never heard a lady praised more They
couldn't say enough in your favor
I'm! Won't you have chair?
will sit for a few minutes I'll put
something on the table,
wen, L sit. A good dinner is
spread. I fill up. All the time I am
eating she is asking and 1 am ans
Werlng questions. I describe the men
a general f@~ oI@ T
tell all they said, and I take care to
spread on the molasses. 1t doesn't
do the least bit of hurt to declare
that one or all said that she was just
the sweetest, handsomest, incest wild
oW in four counties and that there
were no less than a dozen men who'd
give anything to get her. The Dilapi-
dated Gentleman is no liar; he is just
he accepts the invitation to stop
around there for two or three days
OF course, man must be ap-
preached differently. One of my IA
vorite schemes is to strike him in
the field. There's a horse been stolen
approach him in a mysterious man
ner. 1 inquire in whispers if he has
cause to suspect any one. I observe
that I may hang around for a day or
two, as 1 have got my eye on a GER
tain man. The farmer takes me for
sleuth in disguise, and it is positive
ly wonderful how he cottons to me. I
tell him that he must carry out the
idea that I am a tramp. 1 must eat
my meals on the doorsteps and lodge
in the barn. Sometimes he and I
watch the highway for two or three
hours at night, and in low tones I tell
him how I have caught thieves, rob-
bers and murderers. The constable
is fooled just as the farmer is fooled,
and after 1 am rested up I move
along. It's just EARNING. It's pleas
ant break in the monotony of a far
mer's life. and it gives him something
to talk about when the logs in the
fireplace are blazing next winter.
"Tramps? Why, sir, the tramp who
is a student of human nature and has
got a tongue and an imagination,
sees more of life than a dry goods
drummer, and gets better living
than any mechanic. If he's a success
he needn't worry about the future;
if he isn't, one years experience on
the road will take him off and make
a laborer. of him. copyrighted
1907 by c. H. Sutcliffe.)