The national forum., 1910-07-30

not eating. If you haven't had your
supper, please take this" And he
offered the vagabond the last bit of
bread
The tramp slowly smiled and gently
pushed the morsel away.
"You're gentleman, son., he said.
That's easy to see. But don't you
worry. I've had my feed. Make it a
cleanup, Riddle
The boy finished the. bread and
drained the cup.
"Im feeling much better, thank
you, sir. :"
The tramp nodded.
"That's good. And now, maybe,
you'll feel like telling me little
something about who you are and
where you want to go and why you're
lost?'
"Of course Ill tell you," said the
boy promptly. I'll tell you cause
I'm sure you'll help me. You're real
ly tramp, amt you?
"And tramps know so much, don't
they? They know how to live with
out money and they amt never sick,
and they can tell when storms are
coming, and they know all the places
on the map and lots of things, don't
they?"
The vagabond, lounging on the hay
"a little ways from the boy, laughed.
mo doubt they're much enVied
lot, " he said. GO on"
I've run away from boys
school," said the lad They locked
me in a room and beat me with a
cane, and I pushed open a window in
the night and climbed down tin
wateDpipe and ran away." He paused
a moment. MY name is Spencer
Pond" he said. land we live at Rox-
bury, and my mother was taken so
sick that the doctor said she must go
to Chelsea Springs and my father
thought it hest for me to 90 to the
boys school, because it wouldn't be
convenient for me at the Springs, SO
Went to the school and never had
been away from home before, and
after my father went away guess
maybe | cried. You see my mother
was sick and / didn't know anybody
there, and there was Jumps ir my
throat and I'm pretty sure | cried.
And some of the hoys saw me and
they said ] was a cry baby and they
pushed me around and then one of
them said Id better run right home
to my mamma. And ] was thinking
of my mamma and how sick she was
and what he said hurt me, and
struck him hard in the face and made
him scream, and then some more of
them came at me and | fighted them
all. And they got me down on the
ground, and got up again and shook
them off and the man who owns the
little school came running aud called
me a little brute and wouldn't give
me any dinner and struck me with a
cane, and locked me in a room all by
myself. But | had my knife in my
pocket and l pried open the window
and got out and ran through the night
cause l wanted to get to Chelsea
Springs as soon as | could. | was
afraid to ask the way, cause when /
did a man took my money--it wasn't
much-and said he'd cut my head off
if | told anybody But [ amt afraid
to tell you. ] know you could lick
him easy"
I'D like 10 test it," said the tramp
with fervor. He wrinkled his fore
head. you've come quite piece out
of your way, kiddie. Chelsea Springs
must be all of forty miles, cross coun-
try, from here. Want me to take you
there?"
Sure do" cried the child. "My
father will be so much obliged to
you. He suddenly >yawnGd. "Ex-
cuse me, but it's funny how sleepy |
am. Do you know any prayer you
want to say?"
NO" replied the vagabohd.
Cause if you do you might like
to say yours first
Go ahead" said the tramp.
A single yellow star cleaned fit
fully through the light mist above
them. The boy looked up at it.
Thou who dost all things com
mand, bless our home, our friends,
our land. We are children in Thy
hand"
The child looked around at the vag-
abond.
"And bless the tramp, too" he
grayoly added.