The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-02-02
Sweethearts and
Hoboes
By H. IRVING KING

S.....-....--. -,
CO. 1928. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
To his fellow hOboes he was Yorkey
you would simply have called him a
tramp, but to himself he was the King
of All Outdoors, and the twittering
birds of morning were attending the
kings levee. Yorkey had sought his
rest the night before in grove OF
locust trees beside a babbling brook
and now the morning light touched
with new beauty the gently moving
leaves and caused the dew upon the
white and clustered blossoms to shine
and sparkle, while all the air was
heavy with their sweet and drowsy
perfume.
The King of All Outdoors came out
of his slumbers gradually and lay for
while with half-closed eyes a little
uncertain as to what part of his do
mains he had awakened in, for the
heavy odor Of the locusts had some
thing tropical in it which suggested the
orange flowers and magnolias OF his
southern plantations by Florida or
Louisiana shores. Then a yawn or two,
some stretching of his powerful limbs
and Yorkey was awake. But he still
kept for a while his recumbent posi-
ton, unwilling to break the spell of the
beautiful morning by rash exertion,
perfectly happy and perfectly satisfied
with his lot.
He would not have been in such q
wholly blissful state, however, had he
foreseen that fate has assigned him
that day a mission to perform, a re-
sponsibility to assume; for why should
the king of all outdoors be burdened
with missions and responsibilities?
Such things were for his subjects, who,
scattered far and wide throughout the
land, fed him on his royal progresses
and clothed him-after fashion.
AT length Yorkey arose, washed in
the brook scantily, drank Of it copious-
ly and struck the road to mooch for
breakfast. He did not stop at the first
house he came to, but chose with nice
discrimination as to place and time.
The smoke of morning fires arose from
the chimneys Of many homes, but he
who desires breakfast should not inter-
rupt the cook.
He walked lefsurely, resting at inter-
walls in some inviting nook. Finally
time and place appearing suitably to
be conjoined, he chose large white
house, half farmhouse, half country
residence" standing well back from
the road. AS a rule it is at the back
door that handouts should be com-
Wandered; but when mark" is seen
in proximity with the front door, the
front door is naturally indicated. A
middle-aged woman with a pleasant
but weak face, sitting on the front
piazza, was to Yorkey a legible sign
reading "Apply here" AS he approached
a young lady clad all in fiimsy,
fluffy white came out of the house and
joined the older woman. The girl
was authenticated, blue-eyed and red
checked. Yorkey took but a languid
interest In what he called "the sect" !:
but Marcella Chaplin captured his ad-
miration-she fitted so we'll into the
general esthetic scheme of the morning.
The hobo got the poor man" and the
"Tell them l sent YOU which he ex-
pected from the elder lady and started
for the kitchen door. A driveway ran
from the road up by one side of the
house, and as Yorkey passed kitchen
ward a horseman, finely mounted and
dressed in the very latest of riding
togs, cantered up and, dismounting,
bow to the ladies. He was dark man
Of about thirty-five whose black and
piercing eyes had just touch of the
sinister In them. and he bestowed upon
Yorkey as he passed him a casual and
contemptuous glance. That glance
stirred in the hobo dim recollections-
and there was an impression as Of
something unpleasant in the past.
The immediate business of that vast
Improvement on hand-out, a set
down, however, wholly engrossed his
attention until he heard the servants
discussing the dark equestrian. He
was, Yorkey gathered, Mr.. Arthur
Rivers, who leased the old Crawford
place, about five miles away, a bach
elor of wealth living retired life. He
had lived at the Crawford place for
nearly two years now, and Of late,
backed by Mrs. Chaplin, had been a
sutton for the hand of Marcella, who,
though somewhat dazzled by the ac-
complished man Of the world, had not
yet broken with her old sweetheart,
Adrian Collins, a gentleman farmer,
three miles up the road
''But she's a-waverin', she's AWAY
erin, said the cook.
'It's all her mas fault" replied the
"The missus is after this
Rivers fellows money"
"Humph!" said the chauffeur, who
had strolled in. perhaps Rivers is
after Miss Marcella's money"
"Oh as to that" chorused the wom-
en-. there's no doubt but what Rivers
is rich"
Having thanked the cook for his