Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-09


would neither study nor work. He
was not only lazy but OF d 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 q 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 a good bed, or. better still.
for cracking fire before which he
might sit in an easy chair. toast his
shins and drop Of to sleep again
thoroughly warmed. Through a win
dow Of the carriage house he saw a
bright coal fire blazing In one Of the
lower rooms of the house. A desire
took possession Of him to 60 into that
room and enjoy that fire. Going out he
went to a window Of the room in
which it was burning. and standing on
dptoe looked in. There was nobody
In the room, and'he was tempted to
try to effect an entrance and pass q
short time before that cheerful blaze.
Putting his hand to the window sash
he discovered that it had been left un-
locked. He raised it and climbing in
by the window stepped down on to the
floor and shut the sash after him. An
easy chair stood near and he rolled It
to the fire cautiously so as not to make
a noise. Then he sat down and
reveled In the warmth. But he did
not dare go to sleep, for If found there
handed over to the police. So he sat
thinking how much more comfortab BILE
1t was after all to have a roof over
ones head than to be tramp.
An illustrated calendar stood on the
mantel before him, and in one of the
| spaces he noticed the word Halloween.
Then he remembered that he was sit
ting there on the anniversary that
young girls look for a sight of the meh
they are to marry.
Marry. What had he to do with that
word? He was rolling stone gather
ing no moss. What girl would think
Of marrying him, at least what girl in
the circle in which he had been brought
up? The thought was far from pleas
| ant.
Finding himself getting drowsy, he
arose from his chair, and it 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 1t
very serviceable in nosing about where
he had no business. hunting for some
soft place on which to sleep. Cautious
ly opening a door, he saw by the fire.
light that 1t 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 floor.
After having explored this floor he
was tempted to m9lRt the stairs. This
he did stealthily in the dark. feeling his
way. When he reached the landing he
listened to hear persons breathing or
perhaps snoring. Everything was still
as a churchyard at midnight. Pressing
the button of his lamp. he saw that a
bedroom into which he was looking was
empty. Passing along the hall, he
listened at every door and. finding them
all opened, risked a fash Of his lamp
and found them empty.
Tom was thunderstorm. Either the
house in which he had heard merry
making a few hours ago was deserted
or the occupants were asleep on the
third floor. He went up there. but
| found no one. His sensations were Pc
culiar. A tramp. he was in possession
of house-a house that had been de-
serted within a brief space of time.
For the time being he possessed a
roof over his head. He could sleep in
any of it's beds; he could eat up every
thing in its larder. For the first time
in his life he felt the pleasure Of pos
session. True, by returning day, IL not
before, he would be deprived of his
domicile. but for the present he was
master of the premises. He went down
stairs. hunted up something to eat.
found a bottle of ale and enjoyed a
| good supper. From box Of cigars on
a sideboard he took one. and. eating
himself in the easy chair before the
fire. he enjoyed. the fragrance Of the
weed.
On the wall before him hung the
portrait Of a young girl. She looked at
him roguishly as II she sympathized
with him in his inheritance and
thought 1t all a good joke. He fell 10
dreaming that this was his permanent
home and the girl bis bride. Then a
resolution came to him.
by Joye. I'll do itr' he exclaimed
starting up. with a spasm of energy
| entirely new to him. Going to a desk
on which were writing materials, he
wrote a note stating the facts about
bis temporary occupancy of the house
ending with the words. "Some day I'm
| going TO buy this house and marry the