The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-08-29
THE TRAMP THAT TRIED.

Up the long avenue to the summer
house of the green gables. Georgia.
the vagabond, Iolled his idle way
For awhile there was no answer to
the tramp's ringing peal on the front
door bell, and he twirled his peaked
SLOUGH hat and whistled. Then the
door slid back and young girl ap-
peared At sight of the unkempt
vagabond, the maid drew back, with
little cry on her fresh, red lips and
little frown on her forehead.
Georgia, the vagabond, bowed low
The lady half-closed the door. What
do you want?" she asked.
Madam" he said, airily, II am a
child of the great mother, Nature. |
sleep in her comprising lap; | battle
in her clear cold lavatories; eat
| from her bountiful. many-coursed
banquet tables. And I am happy.
happy as the birds there, or-pardon
me, madam-as happy as you, in
AouL diIStiit ihAipNChIC, SaA ~ i'ttt
| alas! Nature cannot clothe, that is.
according to police regulations. and"
| And George, the vagabond, ran his
hand down his expanse Of rags.
The girl spoke, in abrupt stern
ness You limited at bathing
Why, yes" said George, but, in
my rapt meditations, | have some
what overlooked the matter, | fear"
Step around to the back door"
commanded the girl.
The door slammed to and George
strolled around the house. In the
rear he found the maid pointing dra-
matically at blue tia pan. George
set vigorously to work and three
separate times he dyed the clear wa
ter to a rich coffee hue. After the
last rinsing, the lady brought a brush
and comb and George piled these
with ardor. When the ordeal was
over, the tramp stood forth fresh.
smiling. confident.
The girls face softened and she
almost smiled. II wonder" she
murmured.
Yes, you wonder" smiled George.
and yoNr kind wonders at all that
Is ssmp!. and primitive and next to
the good, kind EARTH"
But you were So dirty"
Il am great. rough sun!lowex.
aud you are hot house plant"
% ,A
the little lady of the green gables
smiled too.
oh. would like your life" she
cried And like you. / mus. give
yon something, SO that you VIII! aot
forget me-"
If you WILL" declared George.
some trifie-I shall meyer cease to
remember"
The girl plucked two sparkling
things from her waist.
"Rere are two pins" she cried
'One is diamond of price-the 9th.
"a piece of green glass that l wore
in nursery. days Which VIII you
lave?"
~
glass;" he exclaimed, with dramatic
emphasis and after a farewell al.
most fearful, he strolle6. down the
shaded avenue and into the duty
lane, with a keepsake of charm. in a
title box of pasteboard. Meanwhile
the girl stood at the window in one
Of the green gables, and, with
clenchad fsts and tear-filled eyes,
watched the tramp go down the long
road.
IF he only proves true" she Sob
ber as she fondled piece of gaudy
green glass.
Down by the big stone gate, Geor-
gle seated himself and proceeded TO
unfold his treasure. At the end of
long roll of cotton, he found a
gitterng diamond.
"Zounds," said George, softly,
she's put in the diamond by mis-
take. | must return IT,"
He started up, but sark back and
unused irresoluteiy for some time.
Then he rose and proceeded down
the highway,
after ALL" he muttered. II tried
to do right--and she knew" And he
waved solemn kiss back to the
house OF the green gables, where a
disappointed maid wept BITTERLY
Stuart Q Stone.