The national forum., 1910-07-30
~Tbat sounds good to- me- mur-


THAT sounds good to me,' mur-
INJURED the vagabond. .4
The star paled, the night wind hut-
tered Tho loose lNy. The boy was
asleep.
The sun had climbed high when he
awoke. He rubbed his eyes and
looked around The tramp was smil-
ing down at him.
breakfast is ready" said the vag-
abond. Bread and milk again, and a
piece Of fresh johnnycake, and a
chunk of cold beef"
"If you please" said the boy, 81
think I'd like to wash before | eat"
His cheeks grew red as he looked at
the tramp's grimy face. 81 always
do, you know" he added with an
apologetic air.
"Of course" laughed the vagahond.
"There's a washroom right across the
field, Come"
He led the way over the field to a
shady ravine, with brisk little
stream gurgling through it. And the
boy drew from his inner coat pocket
a fiat leather case, and opening it,
showed piece Of soap, a narrow hair
brush, a tooth brush, tiny mirror
and comb and wash cloth.
"My mother gave me this he said
See, there's my initials on it,
He knelt down on fat stone at
the edge Of the stream and made his
toilet-and came up rosy and smiling.
"Youre next" he cried
The vagabond gave a queer little
laugh.
"All right" he said, and took the
proffered soap. When he finally
looked around, his face cleaned, his
hair smoothed down, his eyes clear
and shining and his white teeth slit
tering, the boy gave a quick laugh.
That's great" he cried. Il won
der how you'd look without whis-
kers?"
II wonder" said the tramp.
"Look at yourself in my glass, :
said the boy, and gave him the little
mirror
The vagabond smilingly took it and
looked at his retlection--and the
smile faded.
"It looks, he softly muttered, "as
if there might be some remnants of a
man there yet"
He gave back the glass and they
made their frugal meal,
Now for the road" said the vaga-
bond, land Chelsea Springs. s."
They might have been a pair of
careless strollers as they tramped
down the highway that sunny morn
ing The vagabond developed won
derful fund of merry conversation,
and the boy was as happy as bird.
They stopped to rest occasionally,
and once they were given ride by a
farmers boy on a hay wagon, and
when it was near noon, they came in
sight of low frame house some dis
tance from the road.
Now to forage" said the tramp.
"You wait for me here,
He went up the lane and was
hidden by the bushes. Presently he
returned.
Nothing doing" he cheerfully an
nounced. "The old man said | was
too clean for tramp and too dirty
to be respectable. s,.
But at the next farmhouse the
vagabond found an elderly woman
who said he could eain his dinner
with the ak. He whistled for the bov
who was waiting in the highway, and
the, lad piled the wood and filled the
woinan's woodboX,
She looked at him little sus-
piciously.
"Your boy?" she said to the tramp
"Boy of a friend of mine. Been
away and I'm taking him home
Docs he treat you well?" she
asked the lad.
"Yes, ma am" the boy promptly
replied. "He treats me very well"
And he laid his hand trustingly on
the vagabond's arm.
They had an excellent dinner in the
clean old kitchen and ther the kind
woman put a bag of cookies in the
boys hands.
Madam" said the tramp, with a
little flourish, could you, would you
loan me razor?"
The good woman laughed.
I'm afraid" she said, that you'll
have harder job of cutting than you
had at the woodpile. But I'll let you
take razor-it is an old one my son
left behind when he went to the Phil
ippines. If you do a good job, III
give it to YOU
He did 50 good a job that the boy
stared at him in wonder and the
woman promptly told him to keep
both the razor and strop.
And take good care Of the boy,
she said.
Lady" said the boy as he gravely
shook hands with her, "he's taking
fine care of me and l like him very
much
The woman looked at the tramp
and her eyes were very keen.
Friend" she cried, II believe
there's the making of man in you
yet" And she shook hands with him
and wished them both Godspeed,
Tla ,,oooho,a ,,,,z rothar o,,iaE nc