Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-01-03
StoryofaT ramp
By ETHEL HOLMES
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.

11OlSiA shl ulHGlCGu was u
tramp. If / tell you how Jimmie be-
came tramp doubt if you will
blame him. From the time he was
seven years old he was followed by
misfortune. His father and mother
died within month of each other and
who would take care of him; all his.
relations turned q cold shoulder to
him.
! will not recount his sufferings till
he was tramping one day on road, in
rags, tired, hungry. He was begging
his way to the city to make another at
tempt to find employment. though in
his rags he had but little chance. Com
ing to grass plot before house he
sank, through WEAKNESS, rested his
head on the root of tree and fell
asleep.
While he was sleeping, Lena Harris
came along and saw him. Lena was a:
servant in the home of Mrs. Singleton,
before which the boy had gone to
sleep. The girl was farmers daugh-
ter who expected to make her own liv-
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, filled her with pity.
Suddenly Jimmie opened his eyes.
and saw the sympathetic look in the
girls face. Lena asked about himself
and he told her his sad story. She
wished to give him something to eat,
and otherwise provide for him, but
Mrs. Singleton was stingy woman
and Lena knew anything she gave out
of the larder would anger her
Fortunately the woman was not at
home at the time, SO Lena took the
boy into the house and gave him some
cold meat, plenty of bread and butter
and cup of hot coffee. While Jimmie
was satisfying his hunger Lena went
upstairs and in a closet found some
CASTOR clothes of one Of the Singleton
boys and brought them down to him.
They fitted him quite well aud were
fur better than his rags. .ols
Jimmie was about. to depart when
Mrs. Singleton came home. She scold-
ed Lena for the food she had given
Jimmie and ordered him out Of the
house. AS good luck would have 1t
she did not recognize the clothes he
had on, so he walked away without be-
ing deprived of them. After he had
gone the woman espied the rags he
/, had 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
he fixed it indelibly in his memory.
Lena Harris remained in the country
and never rose above the position Of
servant. She was advised to- go to
the city and learn something tosfit her
for business, but the sad stories of
country girls WHO had gone to the city
deferred her and she reached middle
life as poor as when she was turned
out of her position for befrlending
Jimmie Horgan.
One day a letter came to her from
a lawyers firm stating that it would
be to her interest to call at their Office
in the city. Lena had not enough
money for the journey, but she bor-
rowed the amount and appeared one
morning at the lawyers office. She
was Informed that james Horgan, u
wealthy citizen. had been missing SO
long that he had been declared legally
dead. He had left u will naming Lena
Harris the heir to all his property. If
she could prove that she was Lena
Harris she would receive the legacy.
But certain blood relations of the teS-
tator laid claims to the property and
We're 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 1t, and she placed 1t 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 verdict had been found in
her favor She went at once to the
| city and an estate producing hand
some income was turned over to her.
Lena settled herself in house that
had been occupied by the one who had
accumulated the property.
One day there was ring at her bell.
She went to the door and found man
| prematurely gray. He looked Ill and
was very shabbily dressed. He stood
looking at Lena as though he were
trying to recall something.
What can do for you, sir?" asked
Lena.
II don't know. I'm kind o. dazed.
I'm not Thomas Simpson, know that.