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friend 。 Of course I was too late。 He was gone in a flash。〃
〃What！ dead？〃
〃As Pharaoh！ In an instant； just as I said。 You see； the rupture took
place in the descending arch of〃
〃But； Doctor！〃
〃It's a queer story。 Am I keeping you from your friends？ No？ Well；
you see shethat woman I spoke ofhad written a note to him based on
what I had told her。 He got it； and dropped in his dressing…room； dead as
a herring。〃
〃How could she have been so cruel； knowing his condition？ She
might； with woman's tact； have rejected him less abruptly。〃
〃Yes； but you're all wrong。 By Jove！ she ACCEPTED him！ was
willing to marry him！〃
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〃What？〃
〃Yes。 Don't you see？ It was joy that killed him。 Gad； we never
thought of THAT！ Queer； ain't it？ See here； don't you think you might
make a story out of it？〃
〃But； Doctor； it hasn't got any moral。〃
〃Humph！ That's so。 Good morning。 Drive on； John。〃
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MY FRIEND； THE TRAMP
I had been sauntering over the clover downs of a certain noted New
England seaport。 It was a Sabbath morning； so singularly reposeful and
gracious； so replete with the significance of the seventh day of rest； that
even the Sabbath bells ringing a mile away over the salt marshes had little
that was monitory； mandatory； or even supplicatory in their drowsy voices。
Rather they seemed to call from their cloudy towers； like some renegade
muezzin： 〃Sleep is better than prayer； sleep on； O sons of the Puritans！
Slumber still； O deacons and vestrymen！ Let； oh let those feet that are
swift to wickedness curl up beneath thee！ those palms that are itching for
the shekels of the ungodly lie clasped beneath thy pillow！ Sleep is better
than prayer。〃
And； indeed； though it was high morning； sleep was still in the air。
Wrought upon at last by the combined influences of sea and sky and
atmosphere； I succumbed； and lay down on one of the boulders of a little
stony slope that gave upon the sea。 The great Atlantic lay before me； not
yet quite awake； but slowly heaving the rhythmical expiration of slumber。
There was no sail visible in the misty horizon。 There was nothing to do
but to lie and stare at the unwinking ether。
Suddenly I became aware of the strong fumes of tobacco。 Turning
my head； I saw a pale blue smoke curling up from behind an adjacent
boulder。 Rising； and climbing over the intermediate granite； I came upon
a little hollow； in which； comfortably extended on the mosses and lichens；
lay a powerfully…built man。 He was very ragged； he was very dirty； there
was a strong suggestion about him of his having too much hair； too much
nail； too much perspiration； too much of those superfluous excrescences
and exudations that society and civilization strive to keep under。 But it
was noticeable that he had not much of anything else。 It was The Tramp。
With that swift severity with which we always visit rebuke upon the
person who happens to present any one of our vices offensively before us；
in his own person； I was deeply indignant at his laziness。 Perhaps I
showed it in my manner； for he rose to a half… sitting attitude； returned my
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stare apologetically； and made a movement toward knocking the fire from
his pipe against the granite。
〃Shure； sur； and if I'd belaved that I was trispassin on yer honor's
grounds； it's meself that would hev laid down on the say shore and takin'
the salt waves for me blankits。 But it's sivinteen miles I've walked this
blessed noight； with nothin' to sustain me； and hevin' a mortal wakeness to
fight wid in me bowels； by reason of starvation； and only a bit o' baccy
that the Widdy Maloney gi' me at the cross roads； to kape me up entoirley。
But it was the dark day I left me home in Milwaukee to walk to Boston；
and if ye'll oblige a lone man who has left a wife and six children in
Milwaukee； wid the loan of twenty…five cints； furninst the time he gits
worruk； God'll be good to ye。〃
It instantly flashed through my mind that the man before me had the
previous night partaken of the kitchen hospitality of my little cottage； two
miles away。 That he presented himself in the guise of a distressed
fisherman； mulcted of his wages by an inhuman captain； that he had a wife
lying sick of consumption in the next village； and two children； one of
whom was a cripple； wandering in the streets of Boston。 I remembered
that this tremendous indictment against Fortune touched the family； and
that the distressed fisherman was provided with clothes； food； and some
small change。 The food and small change had disappeared； but the
garments for the consumptive wife； where were they？ He had been using
them for a pillow。
I instantly pointed out this fact； and charged him with the deception。
To my surprise； he took it quietly； and even a little complacently。
〃Bedad； yer roight； ye see； sur〃 （confidentially）； 〃ye see； sur； until I get
worrukand it's worruk I'm lukin' forI have to desave now and thin to
shute the locality。 Ah； God save us！ but on the say…coast thay'r that har…
rud upon thim that don't belong to the say。〃
I ventured to suggest that a strong； healthy man like him might have
found work somewhere between Milwaukee and Boston。
〃Ah； but ye see I got free passage on a freight train； and didn't sthop。
It was in the Aist that I expected to find worruk。〃
〃Have you any trade？〃
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〃Trade； is it？ I'm a brickmaker； God knows； and many's the lift I've
had at makin' bricks in Milwaukee。 Shure； I've as aisy a hand at it as any
man。 Maybe yer honor might know of a kill hereabout？〃
Now to my certain knowledge； there was not a brick kiln within fifty
miles of that spot； and of all unlikely places to find one would have been
this sandy pe