The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-21


a confidence in return But have been orphan,
too. these years The sky my mother and the
earth my father, and the road is my pal and fellow
traveller. 1t goes with step by step, opening out
Its heart as go, always new, strange and aluring
ltwaits for at the gate, you see, and
go on Thank you for supper that for a
king and not for poor tramp"
Shirley followed him out on the porch. "Won't you
play for me just before you go?' she en-
treated. 1t has been long since l heard any really
good music In Washington used to go to some con-
certs, and the opera whenever it came there but now
never hear anything better than the Froic of the
Frogs or 'SiyeTy 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 was rcd STILL but single great
star burned there. Seeing he played the evening star
song %, thou sublime sweet evening star!" the
music yearned; and there seemed, as he played
bridge between earthly thoughts and those strange emo
tons born Of God
Shirley shut the gate with little click behind him
as he finally went out but he fingered yet a moment
outside, as if loath to leave the little garden
And you.' the girl exclaimed blunty, "you who
play these beautiful thngs-and understand thcnl-you
ordinary tramp | cannot believe it"
The man flushed deeply, and then laughed Then he
said " Don't think me just ordinary tramp but an
extraordinary one, who likes Verdi and Wagner, and
bread and butter in plenty but who most OF all likes
and needs the freedom of Gods ou-of-doors" He
lifted his hat but she held him back
But it isn't always sunrise sunset" she said
ITS dark, creepy night and there are fearful storms
Where do you ind shelter such tin,es?"
The man. il prompted by a sudden impulse lifted
his violin out of its box again Listen and III tell
you," he said He played once more and this time he
sang, too, in deep rich barytonc:
By road and river, countryside and town,
] wander daily with my fiddle brown,
Creeping under barns gladly.
When outside the tempest howls,
Playing sadly, playing mady,
Waking up the rats and owls.
"Ah, 1t 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 Juncs and bleak Dcccmbers
Rise around ME | play
All, 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 said that YOU
will come back this way again this summer and play
for me"
The man turned rcsolutey. Il promise" he said,
God willing"
lie went at last but turned once at the crossroads
where he might have last sight OF the white farm
house Shirley was still standing at the gate gazing
after his rctrcang form
In late September the tramp passed that way again
the tramp, Tor he made by the heal
ing of nature lie no longer thin and pale but stall
warl and rrddy and he swung along with the buoyancy
of health.
Shirley from the village, where she had been
get the mail IT was good mile ard half TO the farm
house. but she liked the walk, and better still to set
away IRON tho circle of her aunt'S nsular but
kindly nature and from Hannahs sharp tongue As
she got quite out OF the village she surprised
hear music coming from behind great oak-trce by
the side of the road She stopped suddenly for she
recognized the song her extraordinary tramp as she
always called him in hcr thoughts-had played and
sung for her that juno day Seeing her pause nc
ont in the road and bowed to her.
=" | was in the village, he explained. and saw you
go into the post-oficc, 7 came here and waited on
the t'1ancc OF meeting you and keeping my promise to
play for you again lie did not tell her how many
he had come nui Il lceo