New Ulm review., 1921-02-23
The "Tramp:'
-- -
By HAZEL SMITH
10. 1gg1. Western NeMspaper union.l

'Freezing weather in eight states,
snow on the Pacific slope, and the
eduinoctial brewing in the west III
dies" said William Mercer, putting
down the evening paper and trying 10
give a cheerful aspect to the an
nouncement.
'sYes, the frost will soon be on the
pumpkin, neighbor," observed sflln
Henry Brown. "IIope you've looked
out for your winter woodpile.'
"The fuel question is the least OF
my troubles" answered Mercer.
must say the cellar is pretty Wen
stocked, TOO. It's the payment on tne
eighty acres that troubles me, and
you know it. Let's get down to busl-
ness Old Sharp is hard as tacks.
He's given me just thirty days TO
settle up, or lose the farm. VIII you
loan me the money I need?'
"Wen, I'll help you on one cond1-
tion," said Brown.
sWhat is it?" inquired Mercer ca
gerly.
81 don't propose to 60 into eNplana-
tions, but Your daughter, Ethel, ana
young Harry Lane have been going
good deal together
"Yes," nodded Mercer, "what OF lt!'
'Just this. Some people say they
are engaged and that they CORE
spond. You ought to know that the
daughter of man as poor as you are
is no match for the son of the richest
man in the district. Break 1T up.
Keep Ethel away at school, drift her
out of this silly idea, and I'll loan you
the money"
It was Mercer who arose to his feet
now. He did so with a look on his
face that made his visitor cringe and
vince.
{ ~"We're not the Lane sort, eh?" he
said. his voice husky with emotion.
"And I suppose you think you are.
understand you only too well, Henry
Brown. You have plans for your own
daughter in that direction, is that it?
And you ask me to sell my childs
happiness No! I would as soon in
terfere between two angels. Go your
way; want nothing more to do wiz
you"
Gentle Mrs Mercer, coming into the
room a few minutes later, found her
husband with bowed head looking
thoughtfully into the fire.
"Will Mr.. Brown let YOU have the
money, husband?" she inquired anx-s
iously.
"No. I demeaned myself asking for
it."
IT am sorry. Dear! Dear! Why
does not Uncle Silas at least answer
my letter. 1 wrote him how much we
needed help. He has always sent Sis
ter and me q hundred dollars at
Christmas, and I hoped my letter
would move him."
i "Don't worry, mother" said Mercer,
with an effort to look cheerful "Well
get along some way"
Uncle Silas was quite an institution
with his two nieces, Mrs. Brown and
Mrs. Mercer. They had never seen
him, and he had forbidden all his kin
to visit him. He was reputed wealthy,
but an erratic hermit. He had not
replied to the letter, and Mercer felt
out into the yard to close up the
stable.
'Hello!" he exclaimed, as he came
across a huddled figure sitting near
the corn crib. "What's the trouble,
stranger?'
81 was wondering if you'd give me
a bite to eat and bed in your hay
loft" replied the stranger, a bent, de-
crepit old man. 81 applied at the
next farm house. They set the dog
on me-"
The kind-hearted farmer went into
the house, told his wife to fix up bed
in the attic, and went out into the
yard again. To his surprise his late
visitor was nowhere to be seen. Then
he heard a groan. 1t proceeded from
a root cellar he had been digging
that day.
'"Too bad" said Mercer, as he saw
the old man lying across the loose
timbers at the bottom of the pit ''I
had no business leaving him to wan
der around unwarned."
The old man w"s carried into the
house and doctor was sent for.
"You've got a queer customer in
there" the physician told Mercer, as
he ended his visit to his patient the
next morning.
"How is that?" inquired Mercer.
"He has insisted that I send Law
yer Jones and Mr.. Brown to him."
"Why, I can't understand that" re-,
marked Mercer.
s'No more can !, but whim or busi-
ness, he is very persistent, and I'm
going to humor him"
The lawyer arrived in company
with Brown an hour later, both won
dering and mystified The patient in
sisted that Mercer also should come
into the sick room.
"Why," exclaimed Brown, "it's the
old tramp"
! 'N0 more tramp than you,' cried
the sick man, "you crafty old sinner!
I'm the uncle of your wife. I came
down here to investigate. You bought
the mortgage to crowd out your
brother-in-law here, and this lawyer
is pretending he owns If. PRODUCE