Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-12-06
THE FACE AT
THE WINDOW
A Story For Hal
l0ween
BY JOEL WASHBURNH

Tom Biggs, tramp, was the son Of
respectable parents. AS boy he
would neither study nor work. He
was not only lazy but Of q rowing dis
position. When he came to manhood
and his father told him to go and earn
living under pretense Of seeing the
world he became tramp.
One night Tom stopped at a house
and asked for food. 1t was given him
and he went away, but not finding any
place to sleep except under the open
heavens, and the night being chilly, he
returned to the place at which he had
got his supper, but instead Of asking
for lodging within he went into the
carriage house and pulling some cush-
ions out Of the vehicle he found there
he spread them on the floor and went
to sleep.
Tom slept till after midnight, when
he awoke chilled through. Never had
the fact that tramping did not pay
taken possession Of him SO forcibly. He
longed for n good bed, or better still,
for u cracking fire before which he
might sit In an easy chair, toast his
shins and drop OF to sleep again
dow 90 ,ho oorr,oa. houao b. 60, =
bright coa fire blazing in one of the
lower rooms of the house. A desire
took possession Of him to go into that
room and enjoy that fire. Going out he
,',HIah a. NO.. .,,~a," - IT,. -,
- 10, '"O D."s ~
~. p'oo I'm" ~ ne.o "ue noDouy
-. go ~" no vac sonAp'e" "
- se ~ pas' ="
D.. - oeio'e 'n"' ."ee,iu' o'"Ne
,, e nl' nanu W 'ne "inuo" '"sn
no tn"t d" ia" oeu" ,oi' "n
,oon.u' -. '"'seu " "nu ginning ~
W I"e w'iiuo" s'cppeu uo"h On u 'he
"ooi ".u 9nul 'no S"S" "i.er MIN. an
easy Gnu" Stoou hear "iiu he roheu II
!" 'nc nre CAUTIOUSLY 80 us not to ih"Ne
noise' linen he sat GOWN anu
roNeieu III the "urinth but ne uiu
not uare 10 10 steep, Ior il Iouhd tnere
III tne morning doubtless he wouId De
nahueu over 10 the ponce 80 ne sat
tnihkihg now Inuch more comfortable
IL was nlter all TO nave roof over
ones mead than to be tramp.
An Illustrated calendar stood on the
mantel before him, and In one or the
spaces he noticed the word Halloween.
Then he remembered that he was sit
ting there on the anniversary that
young girls look for sight of the men
they are to marry.
Marry. What had he to do with that
word? He was II rolling stone gather
ing no moss. Whit girl would think
OF marrying him, at least what girl In
the circle In which he had been brought
up2 The thought was far from plens
ant.
Finding himself getting drowsy, he
arose from his chair, and II occurred to
him to make an exploration. The only
thing Of any value he carried was an
electric lamp that he had bought from
small boy for dime. He found II
very servicenble In noslng about where
he had no business, hunting for some
soft place on which to sleep Cautious
ly opening door. he saw by the fire
light that II led into hall. Closing the
door behind him, he pressed the button
on his lamp and, treading lightly. went
about on the lower floor. where he did
not expect TO find any one. for he
thought the occupants OF the house
were all In bed on the upper hoor
After having explored this noor ne
was tempted to mount tho stairs. rms
he did stealthiiy In the dark feellng his
way. When he reached the landing ne
listened to hear persons breathing or
perhaps snoring. Everything was sun
az churchyard ut midnight. Pressing
the button or MS lamp, ne saw that
bedroom into which he was looking was
empty. Passing along the hall, he
listened at every door ana, finding them
all opened, risked nash or his lamp
and found them empty.
Tom was thunderstruck. Either the
house In which ne had hehrd merry
making Few hours ago was deserted
or the occupants were asleep on the
third moor. He went up there' Dnt
found no one. HIS sehsauonb were pc
culinr. tramp. he was In possession
of house-a mousse that hnd been ue
serted within brier space OF time.
For the time being he possessed u
roof over his head. lie could sleep 1T
any or It's bedsi no couid eat up every
thing In It's larder For the nrst tlme
In hla life he felt tho DlPn sure OF DOS