The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-20
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she had been led by his absorbed her
word into speaking OF her affairs a stranger.
" And live nowhere he told her. as if owing her
confidence in return. But have been orphan.
too, these many years The sky is my mother and the
earth my father, and the road is my pal and fellow
traveller. 1t goes with step by step opening
its heart as so, always strange and allurins
1t waits for the gate, you see and I
so Thank you for supper that was meant for
king and not for poor tramp
Shirley followed him the porch "Won, YOU
play for just before you go?" she
treated 1t has been long since heard any really
good music. In Washington used to go some con-
certs, and the opera whenever it there bu, now
hear anything better than the Frolic Of the
Frogs 'Sivery Waves of the village music
teacher"
The tramp smiled and again laid his fiddle under his
chin. He played in the twilight now, for dusk had
nearly fallen. The red STILL but single great
burned there. Seeing it he played the evening
song 49, thou sublime, evening STAR" the
music yearned; and there seemed, he played,
bridge between earthly thoughts and those strange
tons born OF God.
Shirley shut the gate with little click behind him
he finally went out, but he fingered ye, moment
outside, if loath to leave the little garden
Goodnight" he said reluctantly.
And you," the girl exclaimed bluntly "you who
play these beautiful things-and understand the-you
ordinary tramp! cannot believe it,
The man flushed deeply, and then laughed. Then he
said, Don't think just ordinary tramp. but an
extraordinary one, who likes Verdi and Wagner. and
bread and butter in plenty. but who of all likes
and needs the freedom of Gods out-of-doors." He
lifted his hat, but she held him back
But it isn't always sunrise sunset" she said.
It's dark, creepy night. and there fearful
Where do you find shelter such tines"
The man, if prompted by sudden impulse lifted
his violin out of its box again. Listen, and I'll tell
you," he said. He played more, and this time he
sang, too, in a deep, rich barytone:
BY road and river countryside and town,
| wander daily with my fiddle brown,
Creeping under barns so gladly,
When outside the tempest bowls,
Playing sadly, playing madly
Waking up the and owls.
"Ah, it is gay, night and day.
Fair and cloudy weather.
Fiddle and wandering by
Over the world together
Down by the willow, summer nights lie,
Flowers for my pillow, and for roof the sky,
Playing all that heart remembers,
Old, old songs from far away.
Golden Junes and bleak Decembers
Rise around me play
"Ah. it is gay night and day,
Fair and cloudy weather;
Fiddle and wandering by
Over the world together"
The listeners eyes moist but she smiled as If
to hide her feeling Promise me-" she sad THAT you
will come back this way again this summer and play
for me-
The man turned resolutely. Il promise" he said
God willing
He last, but turned at the crossroads
where he might have last sight of the white farm
house. Shirley was still standing the gate gazing
after his retreating form.
In late September the tramp passed that way again
the tramp, for he made new by the heal
ing of nature He was longer thin and pale but stall
wat ruddy and he swung along with the buoyancy
of health.
Shirley came from the village, where she had been
get the mail 1t good mile and half to the farm
house, but she liked the walk, and better still to get
away from the circle of her aunts nsular but
kindly and from Hannah's sharp tongue. As
she got quite of the village she surprised to
hear music coming from behind great oak-tree by
the side Of the road She stopped suddenly, for she
recognized the song her extraordinary ramp"-as she
always called him in her ehoughss-had played and
sung for her that June day Seeing her pause he
out ii the road and bowed her.
y in the village he explained. " and you
go into the pos-ofice. l here and waited on
the s,ance OF meeting you and keeping my promise to
play for you again" He did not tell her how many
niles he had of his way keep that promise
though" re continued. If vert the house