Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-20
The Dailv
Short Story
STORY OF A TRAMP.
By Ethel Holmes.

II / tell you how Jimmie became
tramp I doubt il you will blame him
From the time he was seven years ola
he was followed by misfortune us
father and mother died within
month of each other and there va.
not a person in the world who wou,s
take care of him; all bis relations
turned a cold shoulder to him.
| will not recount his sufferiugs IN,
he was tramping one day on a road In
rags, tired. hungry. He was beer,ns
his way TO the city to make anofhs.
attempt to find employment. though IN
his rags he had but little chance. Com
| ing to a grass plot before house hs
sank, through WEAKNESS. rested his
| head on the root OF tree and fsll
asleep.
While he was sleeping, Lena Harris
came along and saw him. Lena was q
servant In the home of Mrs. Singleton
| before which the boy had gone ~
| sleep. The girl was farmers daush.
| ter who expected to make her own liz.
ing and began an apprenticeship as
hired help in the Singleton family
Lena looked down upon Jimmie. and
his rags, his pale face, troubled even
in sleep, filed her with pity.
Suddenly Jimmie opened his avss
and saw the sympathetic look in fha
girls face, Lena asked about himselr
and he told her his sad story sha
wished to give him something to "a.
and otherwise provide him. but Mrs
Singleton was a stingy woman and
Lena knew anything she gave ont NJ
the larder would anger her.
Fortunately the woman was not ~
nome at the time. so Lena took the
boy into the house and gave him some
cold meat, plenty Of bread and hui.
ter and q cup of coffee. While Jimmie
was satisfying his hunger Lena went
upstairs and in closet found SONS
| castoff clothes of one of the Singleton
boys and brought them down to him
They fitted him quite well and were
far better than his rags.
Jimmie was about to deparf when
Mrs. Singleton came home. She scols.
ed Lena for the food she had given
Jimmie and ordered him out Of the
house. As good luck would have Il
she did not recognize the clothes he
had on, SO be walked away without ba-
ing deprived of them After he had
gone the woman espied the rags he
mad left and when Lena admitted what
she had done she was discharged. This
/ was not long after Jimmie had left
the house, and he had not gone far on
his journey. Lena saw him walking
ahead Of her and called to him,
/ she told him that she had been dis
charged and must find another place.
Jimmie was much touched to have
brought this upon her, but he could do
nothing TO repair the trouble. Before
they parted he asked for her name
and ne fixed it indelibly In his men,
/ DRY.
/! Lena Harris remained IN the coun-
/ Try and never rose above the position
OF servant. She was advised to 20
to the city and learn something to fit
her for business. but the sad stories
/ OF country girls who had gone to the
city deferred her and she reached mid
die life as poor as when she vas
turned out of her position for |.
friending Jimmie Horgan.
One day letter came 10 her from
! a lawyers firm stating that IT would
he TO her interest to call at their Of
nee in the city. Lena had not enough
money for the journey, but she Dor
fo"ed the amount and appeared ons
morning at the lawyers Office. She
was informed that James Horgan.
wealthy citizen, had been missing 50
long that he had been declared leg
ally dead He haG left a will naming
/ Lena Harris the heir to all Of his prop
erty. If she could prove that she vas
Lena Harris shewould receive the leg
acy. But certain blood relations OF
the testator laid claims to the property
and were expected to try to break the
will.
The lawyers offered to take the case
for Lena, to be paid their fee only If
they won Ii, and she placed it in their
hands. Those who sued took the
ground that Lena was an impostor.
Lena went back TO her work and the
case dragged through the courts. At
last she received word from her attor-
neys that a verdict had been found in
!, her favor. She went at once to the
i city and an estate producing a hand
some income was turned over to her
E Lena settled herself in a house that
had been occupied by the one who had
accumulated the property.
i One day there was a ring at her
bell. She went to the door and found
a man prematurely gray. He looked
I'll and was very shabbilv dressed. He
STOOD looking at Lena as though he
were trying to recall something.
i What can l do for you, sir?" asked
Elena.
4 don't know I'm kind o. dazed.
, I'm not Thomas Simpson, know that
Who are your
y am Lena Harris"
, Lena Harris!" The man started.
Yes, I'm Lena Harris"
How did you come here?"
The owner of the house. James
! Horgan, died and left it to me-
James Horgan! I'm James Hor-
| gan"
Morgan had some years before SUI
Tered from amnesia. or loss of mem
DRY, and had wandered away. His
memory had come back to him and he
sought his home Lena gave hin back
MS property, but as she gave herself
WIN 1t neither suffered loss.