The sun., 1918-07-25

The itinerary of a tramp would be
incomplete IL 1t did not cover more
clmes than one. A tramp's interest In
himself and the worlds nominal inter
est In him would cease IL he were to
content himself with his daily stint
Of grub and rum and tobacco. 1t some
times happens that his thoughts reach
out to a broad sympathy with life and
the history Of men that finds its ex-
preston in patriotism. That Is why l
betook myself In the company Of some
shrines
This is not a sermon on patriotism.
fellow to preach anything must be
ordained--have human hands invest
him with the symbol OF divinity or
authority. Civil or religious ordination
are rites that are not lightly bestowed
on tramps, and I am only claiming to
be the most unkempt and unregen-
crate, the most nearly human entity In
the world-a tramp.
Being bereft of the token of re-
ectability-money-y may stow
away on a Connecticut river steam
boat. or could before 1t became n ma
tional institution. At least l did--to
load my plate holders. And 1t was the
Black Hole of Calcutta! AS a result
though, got some wonderful pictures
Of Lexington and Concord and South
Coventry, and the equestrian statue Of
"Old Put" that stands near the hotel
l. u III. 1,N 60,
the old farmer General not as he de-
Tended the rail fence at Bunker Hill,
but In all of the glory of the man on
horseback. 1t stands beside the hotel
In which he is said to have kept open
house until the social instinct of his
friends forced him to turn publican to
keep solvent. But this story Is the
gossip of tradition, and might tend to
libel some really generous Yankees.
The genus tramp is ubiquitous, but
In the first person singular he can be
only in one place at a given time. So
I will ask the reader to follow me over
the dusty way-after the roads around
Hartford to Manchester are travelled
they are all dusty or were when I
tramped them-to South Coventry.
I have seen many American citi-
zens, presumably, with physiognomies
that denoted foreign birth, stand be-
fore the statue Of Nathan Hale In the
City Hall Park and wonder what 1t
was all about. II they would follow
me over the beautiful hills of Tolland
county. Connecticut, they would learn
that it is the sculptured story of
man with country. And when they
see those hills they will feel the story
OF one American who regretted that
he had but one life to give for them
They are hills that typify freedom, and
Hale in his heroic pose is the symbol
Of American thought to-day.
Tramp with mo through Bolton
Notch to the meeting house at North
Coventry and then down the hills to-
ward South Coventry. and half way
between these two points Ne shall find
the old farmhouse that was Hale's
birthplace, nestled in obscurity in
these New England hills. But 1t is
not too obscure or too far away either
in distance or time for the heart of an
American to find.
I reached this old farmhouse after
dark of a September day. The sun
going down had etched the pines and
hemlocks against a background OF
vermilion. making picture that is
unforgettahle. The moisture of the
evening emphasized the scent OF wild
grapes, and the odor filed the nostrils
with the flavor of old wine as 1t
trickles over the palate of a topper.
went up to the doorway-just broad
stone slab from which you may step
directly into the house-and knocked.
1t was dark, and as no response came
to my ADMINISTRATIONS in the COun-
try rarely go to the front doors Of
these old houses--I did as a tramp
should have done and went to the
kitchen door 1t was opened by an
elderly man. one armed farmer
from New York State. He looked at
me curlously as they always do In
those remote places II a stranger sum-
mons them to the door after dark.
is this the Nathan Hale house?' I
asked.
Yes: this is the Hale house" he
answered in a tone that appeared to
be stereotyped.
was keen on the scent. for had
promised myself that l would sleep
one night at this shrine OF patriotism,
probably in Hale's own bedroom.
II have travelled a long way afoot
to sleep one night in Hale's birth
place. May II"
He laughed and turned To two
women seated at table, from whose
company I had summoned him.