The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-14
THE
.COURTAY'
TRAMP :

"Ah, you don't know Babe and he
stroked the dog, who looked very happy
and very proud. Now for some tricks,
Babel Show the young folks what
you can dol" A moment later the dog
was balanced delicately on his hindlegs
and walking forward or backward af
signals from his master. Another signal
and he jumped through the hoop made
by his masters arms, then limped sor-
rowfully on three legs, and at final
signal dropped limp and as If dead at
his masters feet and lay there till a.
snap of the fingers told him his tasf was
over when he frisked about the road
barking gleefully.
Il guess Babe and | can get enough
milk for all of us on that, at the nearest
| farmhouse he said. 1T always fetches
them
II don't wonder | replied Then,
my mind on the theatre, | added, L
don't see why you don't show him ON
the stage. He's. finew
That's an idea,' said the man. But
what theatre d take me in these
clothes ?"
They'd take you with Babe ~ He
laughed when | said that--it made the
dog seem OF SO much more account than
the man--and then. with Babe follow
| ing, he went toward farmhouse little
off the road
The milk was good, but we didn't get
it till late in the afternoon, Tor. while
| Babe and his master were gone, our
fatigue got the better of us and we fell
| fast asleep on the bank by the roadside
| That evening we came TO little hamlet
called Mountain View, only about ten
mile from San Jose tAnd we had ex-
pected 10 reach San Francisco!) he
man took lis to the little hotel there
and after some conversation with the
landlady which we didn't hear, shook
hands with us. Babe jumped up on
us and said goodbye with quick little
lick on onr faces Then master and
dog went their way
| Things happened very quickly after
that At the supper table San Fran
cisco drummer looked up from his paper.
gave start when he saw u.s. and whls-
pered 10 the landlady as he looked from
rs to the Laper, while she nodded her
head in assent. Next morning we were
awakened by sobs OF JOY at our bed
| sidc--our dear mothers weeping as each
held her respective offspring in her arms
i our fathers trying to look severe but
unable TO keep back their own tears,
1 That noon VIC reached home, not famous
as we had expected, but chastened III
4 spirit: cXies from the theatres for a
long. long time and separated from each
!. other for nearly as long.
Of ,.p..-c. our ore.1tc uere ir1u1eusf-
| ly interested when they heard about the
4 protection. They ADVERTISED ior him
!, and the papers printed the story with
sensational headlines. but he never ap-
!. peared to claim reward.
Ten years later | was on the stage and
acting with Augustiu Days company in
New York One afternoon on my way
from rehearsal, ! stopped in at one of
the Continuous" houses dog act
was lust going on The man was OIL
the stage. There was something oddly
4 familiar about him | seemed to have
r heard his voice before Yet could not
} place him. But when. looking into the
, wings. he called, Now for some tricks,
Babe Show the voting folks what
, YOU can dor' and al Irish terrier deli
: catcly balanced on his hindlcgs came
} out from the wings-probably, alas. not
the original Babe bit his successor
r how the scene came back to me. Il
: don't see why you don't show him on
| the stage had said; and That's an
idea" had been his comment
+, My nrst impulse was to ask at the
!. stage door if | could see the trainer,
t and recall myself to my old friend of
the Santa Clara highway, But on re-
g Election I thought better of it He
! looked prosperous, was dressed in an
$ immaculate Tuxedo suit and was billed
| as one of the chief attractions OF the
e house would he care to be reminded
c OF the days when he was a tramp ?
Probably not But when | reached
K home, | dropped him note, unsigned,
telling him that the two girls whom
! he had safely guided to Mountain View
), ten years before never would forget
! his kindness, | think my not signing
the letter was guarantee TO him that
G never would disclose his identity.
owe that to his chiyalry