Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1898 — THE TRAMP’S REVENGE. [ARTICLE]

THE TRAMP’S REVENGE.

HoW He Evened Things Up with the Woman of Forbidding Face. The sunshine, the daffodils and the balmy air proclaimed his coming. The woman on the front stoop of the farm house was in no wise surprised when she saw Meandering Mike swinging up the road. He took off his hat and bowed with the genial confidence of one who expects to be welcomed as an old friend. But icy winter still lingered in the stare she gave him. He bowed once more and said “Good-mornin’, lady,” but she did not modify her forbidding aspect. “Excuse me, lady," he proceeded, as he' restored his hat to his head and looked at her with disfavoring intentness; “but is your husband a man with faded yellow whiskers?” “Yes,” she answered, “but you needn’t tell me that he sent you with any orders for me. He wouldn’t dare.” “I only wanted to identify him. He’s kind o’ roufid-shouldered an’ wears a little checked coat whose sleeves don’t come more’n half way up to his elbows?’ “Yes.” “An’ his hair is cut straight off behind like the bottom of a paint brush?’ “Yes.” “Then, lady, that bein’ the case, I won’t bother you no further. I did have it in my mind to ax you fur somethin’ to eat, but I’ll save meself the humiliation of a refusal. I ain’t goin’ to stand around an’ try to soften yer heart by eloquence, ’cause the fust thing I knowed I’d be workin’ so hard I’d have a breakfast earned, whether I got it or not. I’m sorry, though, fur yer husband’s sake.” • “What has my husband to do with this case?” “Nothin’, lady. He ain’t ip it. That’s why I’m sorry for ’im. When I met him he axed me was I goin’ to make application for a hand-out, an’ when I told ’im ‘yes,’ he looked at me in a way fit to bring tears, an’ says: ‘Pardner, are you very hungry? ‘Only middlin’,’ says I. ‘Well, den,’ says he, ‘l’d like to ax a favor. Es dat lady gives you anyt’ing would ye be so kind-hearted as ter come back and give me half?’ ’’