The daily Alaskan., 1908-10-20
A Tramp S Dream
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Icopyrlght, 1908, by T. c. McClurel

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 lcopyrlght, 1908 by T. c. NcClureI
 One summers day when Farmer Bingham was washing his hands at the kitchen door preparatory to the monday meal a tramp turned in from the highway and asked for bite to eat. He was asked if he would work for it. and after a look in tue dircc- ton of the corndcld and d shaku of the head he replied;
 I'm just out of thu hospital with three broken ribs and am not strong enough. but I'll do heap better than to handle a hoe. l turned in here be- cause dreamed of this plu-c last night while l was Slccpln in a barn 1 five miles away Yes, it's thr same place house barn, orchard. blue pump in the well and everything else. It's just as if my dream had been photo- graphcd."
 What sort of q dreamT asked the farmer. but without much curiosity.
 "I thought 1 stood right there under that pear tree and saw you come up from the barn. You had an iron bound box on your shoulder and you could hardly staggcr under it. You threw it down just where that old hen is Scratchn' and got the 0x and broke 1t open. Gee whz"
 And what%
 Well. the 500 gold pieces went fly m' all around here like suowGakcs in winter. It was the bcautlfulcSt sight my eyes ever bchcld-grcat big waller coins. and how they did chink togeth- rg. It was their chinkin' that woke me up."
 But there's nothing iu dreams ' said the farmer. although he was beginning 10 turn pale around the mouth.
 "NIcbbc not. mcbbc not. but l never hau one yet that didn't come true. Are you williu' 10 let me search your barn and gimme half what | dnd?'
 "You sit down here and I'll bring you out some dinner. and then we'll talk further about It."
 Farmer Bingham was no fool. He was young man of twenty-five and was accounted above the average In sharpness. but the dream hit him. He had scarcely related it 10 his wife when she exclaimed:
 You carry that tramp out the big ccst dinner he ever had and then pump  him dry and get rid of him.
 After the tramp had eaten his fll he offered To help them about tho box, They made excuses.
 Ladies and gentlemen" he said. "I underestimate perfectly understand. You don't want mo around when th" box ls found and opened. You don't want mo Co hear fine chiuE.a-chink of them waller boys. You think I'd claim sheer for drcamin'. Waa' IIl move on and let you have all the fun 10 your- selves"
 The tramp was watched out of sight, and then the couple went to the barn and began their search. They had put in two hours and were still at 1t when Mrs. Bingham's mother arrived, The idea was not to give her the slightest hint about the treasure. but in the course of half an hour she had picked the information from her daughter Then she said:
 Amelia. you want to see that you get your rights in this thing Half that money belongs to you. and you want 10 stand up for it."
 "But George will do what's right about 1t. of course
 There's no of course about it. The minute he gets that box in his hands his greed will be aroused. He won't want to give you enough to buy an apron out of It."
 That old barn was almost turned bot tom side up but no box was found. | The farmers brother came around next morning on an errand, and when he found George crawling out from un- der the hogpcn he wantcd an cXplana- ton and had To have it. As soon as he got 1t he said:
 You look out for Amelia. If ever l saw avarlcc in woman'S eyes it's in hers. Shcw want at least half of the money to buy gimcracEs with.'
 Before noon the wIfe'S father and two brothers and siStc"S were on hand, and after them came the husbands father and other brother There were wran- glug and QuaweIng from the start When tue dirt floor of the Smokehouse was Spoded up and the spade struck an old tomato can. there were pushing and showing and swearing. When the farmer prepared to drain of the wa ters of the goose pond and refused to pledge himself to an equal division, there was a fight out c' which grew i bloody noses and bIa.E eyes. Of course the affair attracted the atten- ton of the neigh'ors. and they came . by the dozen 10 ,..E in and help along