The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-21

"a uoAi al uOuT U smile
lame 70 her face and she heaved 4
sign OF relief. The Widow Sample had
round the idea she had long been
seeking. ~
Uncle Abner Gates was at the grind.
stone in the barn putting an edge on
scythe when tramp came along
ana asked for food and work. He was
nlieo up and sent to a field, and half
an nour later he was hoofing the
hignway again. The fellow had a
squint eye and q twisted nose and
could have been picked out from
among a thousand Weary Willies
nerded into q ten-acre lot.
by heck, but I've been fooled asin! :"
exclaimed Uncle Abner, as he found
the tramp gone. III ever l come
across him" But there wasn't one
cnance In q thousand.
The Widow Sample had 4 kind
neart for tramps. She always i'm.
agined them victims Of misfortune,
and they were handed out food
whether they offered to pay for It in
work or not In due time the tramp
with the squint eye and the. twisted
nose reached her hospitable farm
house. The time meant the day after
ne had buncoed Uncle Abner Gates
The fellow had Just been chased
away from the farm below by q
bulldog, and was out of breath and
looking pale. Before he could re
mark that he hadn't had anything tc
eat for three days, the widow tool
one good look at him and threw VI
her hands with the exclamation:
Why, man, you are sick and orte,
be under the doctors care"
Willie got his cue like q streak Of
creased lightning. and replied in pa
thetic tones:
"Rut who cares II am sick and
likely to de-"
Il do. I haven't turned into &
stone yet"
But I will stagser on till I per
ish! The world will be glad to heal
Ct my DEATH"
You'll stagger right into the house
and be cared for like q human be
ing"
Willie took a sharp look at her
Never In all his tramp life had h,
come across such a snap. He couldn'
believe her in earnest; but she hus
tied him in and made him sage te,
and chicken broth and put horse rad
dish draughts at his feet. In an houl
he claimed to have been drawn bacl
from death, and announced his readi
ness to eat his full share of the boilet
dinner cooking on the stove. He wa,
held in bed. however. The Widow
Sample had a bunch that Uncle Al
ner would be along next day and tina
II he found patient there something
would happen.
/ At II o'clock next morning. after
breakfast of tea and tost. and afte
more draughts, and after a dose o
horse medicine. administered by tn
hired man. the tramp was planninl
to leave the house by way Of tn,
window when the widower appeared
He was at once informed that q poo
man. who had evidently seen bette
days, and who was most grateful 70
what had been done for him, an
who might turn out the incest kind q
a man. was . patient In the parlo
bedroom.
"Oh, I see-I see." replied Uncl
Abner as q strange feeling suddenl
gripped him and was reflected In hi
face.
These little romances sometime
turn out very queer" observed tn
widow.
Yes"
"The stranger in distress somt
times turns out to Be . rioh man
son"
Yes. he does"
"And there 10 4 happy marriag
and plenty OF money"
"Just So"
"Of course, there may b nothin
in II. but"
"Oh. yes. there is!"
And Uncle Abner looked into th
bedroom Just a. the tramp with tn
squirt and the twisted nose sat up I
bed. There was an exclamation q
satisfaction, followed by . yell q
alarm and excited queries, and whe
the dust kicked up by the patient
feet flying up the highway had se
tied down, Uncle Agner mopped hi
brow and explained:
81 was just gittin' ready to -
that we'd be married tomorrow an
start on q bridal tour next day."
copyright, 1912. by Associated Literar
Press.)
Japan's Royal Oxen.