Newspaper Page Text
PAGE. 6
1 HI FUTURE CITIZEN.
HOW A TRAMP WON HIS
DINNER
(Continued from page 3. )
were so young glistened from the
corner into which they had crawled
with the first barking of the dogs.
The hounds could still be heard
way down in the next valley.
Suddenly the baying ceased and
then broke out afresh, taking on a
new note. The fox jumped up.
He knew what that meant. The
baying drew closer and closer.
They were on the ridge. He made
up his mind and hurriedly whisper
ed a few instructions to his mate.
The dogs were almost there He
looked at the young ones, spoke to
them, and, just as the dogs dis
covered the front entrance, dove
out of the rear one •
His departure was not noticed
by the dogs for several minutes.
But then they were of! again in hot
pursuit of him. This was just what
he wanted and*, according to the
hurriedly whispered plan, th e
mother and young now made their
escape from the unwatched home.
Going over hill and through valley
toward the appointed place of
meeting, the big gray rock in the
great woods, his mate heard the
thirsty baying of the cruel hounds
with great fear for him.
And, in truth, her fear wss well
founded for he was growing so ex
hausted that he could hardly crawl
along. He had circled, had doubled
on his trail, gone through brooks
and walked stone walls. At last
the dogs had lost the trail, they
had been outwitted by his last run
along the wall and leap into the
bushes on the same side. But he
ceuld not stop to rest; it was grow
ing dark ; he must go to meet his
family and see how they had fared.
Dragging himself over a wall he
slunk along close to the other side,
dove across an opening, when
there—there on the opposite side a
man was stationed, gun in hand.
He crawled cautiously along close
to the ground, slowly, softly. He
was almost in the woods now,*
when, looking around, he saw the
gun Raised, a flash and— The bull
et went true to its mark. The men
and dogs got what they wanted,
but a lonesome mate wailed, and
three young foxes shivered in 'he
dampness of the night air.
Flattery often wins gifts but us
ually before the givers find out it
has made fools of them. An ex
ception to this is related in a De
troit paper:
A citixen of Howard Street was
picking his teeth at the gate the o-
ther afternoon after a hearty din
ner, whex a tramp came around
the corner and halted before him.
“No uso,” said the citixen. “I’ve
no food for tramps.”
“I didn’t ask you for any, did
I?” answered the man.
“No, but I thought you looked
as if you wanted it.”
4 4 Well, I can’t help my looks,
I’m no beggar; I pay for all I get.
You look to me like a gentle
man.”
“Yes.”
“You have a smart intelligent
look about you.”
“I hope so.”
“I’d pick you out anywhere from
a common herd, so I would,” con
tinued the gentlemanly tramp as he
rubbed his back against the fence.
“That’s pretty good,” said the
citixen, as he stroked his whiskers,
“but what is all this nice talk a-
bout ?”
“I’ll tell you. I’m nothing but
an old tramp. I don’t know buck
wheat from broomcorn, while you
know, everything. Give me a
decent chance and I’ll give you
one.
I see you have two cords of wood
at your side gate, and I’ll make
you Jan offer. If you’ll make a
speech ten minutes long, I’ll saw
that wood for nothing. If you
break down, you shall give me a
square dinner, and I’ll move on.”
“Why yes, I will do that,”chuck-
* led the citixen.
“Very well, I will stand up to
my bargain.”
The citixen threw away his tooth
pick, drew out his watch, cleared
his throat and began :
“Fellow citizens: We are called
together here by a common im
pulse.' We have met-^-we have
met—we have-*-<ve have*-*’’’
“You can try once mprp.; I don’t
want to be too h.ardton r. you*’.’^.ob
served the tramp, as > the feitiien
broke down. “Try the financial
question this time.” , . ,
Thus encouraged, the citizen led
off with
“Fellow citizens: You have pa
tiently listened to the long winded
remarks of Sam Carey. He has
told you that—a piece of paper is
as good as a gold dollar. He has
told you that—he has had the im
pudence to assert that—that is, he
has told you that—he has told
you—”
“I’ll give you one more chance,”
said the tramp as the breakdown
seemed complete.
“But I won’t take it,” said the
citixen.
, “You go around to the back
door, and I’ll tell the girl to set
you out the best dinner you’ve had
in a year and don’t be in a hurry to
leave the table either.”
—The Big Brother.
THE SOET ANSWER
One day O’Rafferty was up be
fore Judge Brady in New York
for assaulting Patrick Murphy, and
this was the examination says
Home Friends :
“Mr. O’Rafferty,” saidthe judge,
“why did you strike Mr. Murphy ?”
“Because Murphy would not
give me a civil answer to a civil
question yer honor.”
“What was *he civil question
you asked him?”
“I asked him, perlite as ypu
plaae, ‘Murphy, ain’t your- 1 , own
brother the biggest thafe in ,.Man-
hattan Island, excepting yppraplf
and your uncle who is absent;, at 4he
penitentiary at Sing Sing?’-’ i
“And what rude answer did he
give you to such a civil question ?”
“He said to me, Av course,
prisint company excepting.’ So I
said,Murphy, you,re another,’ and
struck him wid me fist.”
-Ex,
Cm You Imigint A Tiwt Wht» Tfct Fttar* Citixen Will P * * Tfcin* of T* c Part?—Wf rL t