The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-19


At the end Of half an hour \ .m,,e
came to her face and she heaved :
sign OF relief. The Widow Sample had
Iouno the idea she had long been
seeking.
Uncle Abner Gates was At the grind.
stone in the barn putting an edge on
scythe when q tramp came along
and asked for food and work. He was
niied up and sent to q field. and half
an nour later he was hoofing the
nignway again. The fellow had q
squint eye and . twisted nose and
could have been picked out from
among q thousand Weary Willies
nerded into ten-acre lot.
BY heck, but I've been fooled arin,"
exclaimed Uncle Abner, a. he found
me tramp gone. III ever come
across him But there wasn't one
cnance in thousand.
The Widow Sample had q kind
heart Tor tramps. She always i'm
agined them victims OF misfortune,
and they were handed out food
whether they offered to pay for 1t in
work or not. In due time the tramp
with the squint eye and the twisted
nose reached her hospitable farm.
mouse. The time meant the day after
ne had buncoed Uncle Abner Gates.
The fellow had just been chased
away from the farm below by a
bulldog. and was out Of breath and
looking pale. Before he could re-
mark that he hadn't had anything to
eat for three days, the widow took
one good look at him and threw up
her hands with the exclamation:
Why. man. you are sick and orter
be under the doctors care"
Willie got his cue like q streak of
creased lightning. and replied in pa
thetic tones:
But who cares If am sick and
likely to die?"
Il do. l haven't turned into a
stone yet"
But ! will stagger on till I per
ish! The world will be glad to hear
of my doath!"
You'll stagger right into the house
and be cared for like a human be-
ings"
Willie took sharp look at her.
Never in all his tramp life had he
come across such snap He couldn't
believe her in earnest: but she hus.
tied him in and made him sage tea
and chicken broth and put horse rad.
dish draughts at his feet In an hour
, he claimed to have been drawn back
from death, and announced his readi'
ness to eat his full share Of the boiled
dinner cooking on the stove. He was
held in bed, however. The Widow
Sample had a bunch that Uncle Alb
ner would be along next day and that
II he found patient there something
| would happen.
At II o'clock next morning, after q
breakfast of tea and tost, and after
more draughts, and after a dose Of
horse medicine, administered by the
hired man. the tramp was planning
| to leave the house by way Of the
window when the widower appeared
He was at once informed that q pool
man. who had evidently seen better
! days, and who was most grateful fol
what had been done for him, ant
who might turn out the incest kind o.
a man, was a patient In the parlol
bedroom.
"Oh. see-I see." replied Uncle
Abner as a strange feeling suddenly
gripped him and was reflected in hi
face.
"These little romances sometimes
turn out very queer" observed thu
widow
Yes"
"The stranger in distress some
times turns out to be Q rich man.
SON."
Eyes. he does"
"And there is a happy marriag,
and plenty Of money"
"Just 80"
"Of course, there may be nothing
in 1t. but"
"Oh. yes, there is!"
And Uncle Abner looked into tn
bedroom just as the tramp with tn
squirt and the twisted nose sat up II
bed There was an exclamation o
satisfaction, followed by yell o
alarm and excited queries. and whel
the dust kicked up by the patient,
feet flying up the highway had set
tied down Uncle Agner mopped hi
brow and explained:
81 was just gittin' ready to ga!
that we'd be married tomorrow an,
start on a bridal tour next day"
copyright. 1912, by Associated Literar!
Press.)
Japan's Royal Oxen.
The black oxen employed to draw