Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1915-07-09
C0ULDNI rUUL HOBt
KNIGHT OF THE ROAD WAS WISE
OLD BIRD
Billy Sunday Tells Good Story of How
Farmer Stopped Visits of
Tramps-Were Suspicious
OF ELUSIVE Welcome.

Billy Sunday, the evangelist, said al
9 fashionable reception il his honor
In Philadelphia:
"A good many people are mistrust
full OF religion | don't know why II
is. but there's lot of people as mis-
trustful of religion and the religious
as the tramp was mistrustful of the
farmer
81 don't know what 10 do about
this tramp evil a farmer once said to
me. I've put up signs about bewar
ing of the man trap and look out for
the savage dog and take care of the
spring gun but 1t don't seem to dc
any rood at all Mr. Sunday The
tramps modest me something ter
rible
swell Brother Brown, said you
just. put up a big sign reading, "All
tramps welcomed at Browns, and
then. later on let me know the result
Brown thought was joking at first
but when he saw ! w9s IN earnest he
went straight eff home and put up a
big sign over his gate-'All tramps
welcome here John Rrown'-that you
could read half a mile away.
81 net him again the following
year. He said the sign had worked
like a miracle. Ever since he put il
up he had only set eyes on one tramp
and that had been by accident He
came on the tramp accidentally as
3D. 81
ing up at it and reading it over and
over with a kind of quizzical, sarcas
tic smile playing about his mouth
"'Hellol' says Farmer Brown, grin
ming over the fence at the tramI
very friendly
The tramp sneered. Then he burs
into bitter laugh and said:
"'Hello, mister. How many COPS
have you got hidden in there?
why, none-none at ALL" say
Farmer Brown, in a hurt, surprised
voice
1.-THE tramp gave another bite
laugh. How many bulldogs have yol
got, then, mister?'
"'There amt dog about the place
says the farmer He opened the gat
a little ways, but the tramp jumpe
back, so scared like. the farmer close
it again out of pity. You can com
in and see for yourself If you don
believe me about the dogs, he says.
"'Oh, yes I know said the TRAMP
He was pale and shaking all owe
from the start he got when the gat
opened L know all about that h
said; but tell me how many bea
traps you've got set in there tina
would bite poor fellows leg off,
Nary a bear trap said the farm
or. Nary a bear trap
Has a man got to do hard day
work to get a measly meal of scraps
burst out the tramp.
Nothing of the kind, said tn
farmer. You come right in, young fe
low. and III give you a three-cours
hot supper for nothing. and If yo
want to stay all night wen fix you u
O warm bed on the floor by the kitcl
en- fire.
'The tramp stared hard at the farm
er minute and then he smiled kin
of plying, patronizing smile an
said:
"'You can't work that little gan
on me- This is my eleventh year c
the road
"'What game? said Farm,
Brown. What game are you talki
about?'
Putin rough on rats in the &C
fee and sellin' our remains to Il
medical college for a dollar apiece
said the tramp, winking at the far1
er. oh. no, Brownie. old boy o
my. mol Not on your life! Ha, b
hal Aberl This is my eleventh ye
on the road, Pm tellin' you
And the tramp took cigar bu
from the pocket Of his ragged cos
lit 1t with a sulphur match, al
strutted jauntily away. his head nea
ly hidden in big smoke clouds"
The Northeast PASSAGE.