The Ogden standard. [volume], February 19, 1910, Part Two, Image 9

About The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910

Image provided by: University of Utah, Marriott Library

                
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t ages 9 to R6 I + THEOGDEN5TANARDPark Two t
i fORTIETH YEAR NO 44 OGDEN CITY UTAH IJVBNING r t
H SATURDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 19 J910 PRICE FIVE CENr
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HIRLEY sitting out on the front porch sewing
SHIRLEY out of her summer afternoons vak
ing dream by seeing a man enter thc gate Not
that such a sight was unusual but such a man
vas
vasAs
As he came slowly and deliberately up the box
hedged walk towards the house she noted him carefully
Me was tall and wore a knickcrbockcr suit of dull
brown velveteen with an old slouch hat pulled rakishly
i over his eyes Around his neck was knotted a red silk
handkerchief cnH through his open coat was visible a
blue flannel rtAfc In one hand he carried a violin case
in the RIz a teary 6lltlc for walking and on his
I shoulders rajas strapped alight knapsack
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audible from the rooms beyond I You maj have some
of that if you like
II Perhaps your parents will object the stranger said
as if not wishing to get her into trouble by his request
She could not be over seventeen or eighteen he thought
though in fact she was twenty and therefore was cer
tainly not the mistress of the farmhouse itself
II I have no parents Shirley said simply there is
only Aunt Luella
1 And Aunt Luella he interrogated
Is away nursing a sick friend She is the village
good angel Then she added as if she had perhaps
spoken idpnidcntly Arid of oursc there is Ben the
hired mail ana iiminaii ilio Hired girl
The fiddler looked at the scryiu maid quite as
gravely as he had looked at the girl on the porch OJ You
arc quite right he said but I really prefer this to a
woodpile just now touching his violin
Of course YOU do You tramps is all lazier than
cold molasses But we never turn no one away hungry i
do we miss
Shirley said that they did not i and told Hannah to
lay an extra plate on the diningtablc
Hannah was horrified Land sakcs I she ex
claimed You dont mean that youre agoin to set
down with a common tramp off the road Why yer
rant will be madder than a wet hen when she hears
about such goins on
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i THE TltAMP TUCKED HIS OLD DPOWX PIDDLE UHDEK JUS CHIN AND DEGAS TO PLAY
f A peddler thought Shirley 1 or a tv wandering musi
cian Probably the latter though I neversaw such a
r dean 1ookingonc lie has rather a bri andishair too
and if he swaggered instead of walking so straightfor
wardly I think Id call for Hannah to come to my
assistance These thoughts passed rapidly through the
girls mind but her face reflected none of them
1
The stranger coming to the foot of the steps and
seeing the girl for the first time took off his hat with a
low bow and she saw that he was very thin indeed so
emaciated that his clothes just hung on his body His
i face was white but a slightly bronzed look was begin
ning to appear as if he were living out in the sun hnd
wind a great deal He hjld soft curling brown hair
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I and a high white forehead Thesedetails Shirley added
to her mental inventory of the man before he spoke
which he did not do until he had deposited his violin
case on the step of the porch Noting the girls gaze he
1 appeared a little confused for a dull streak of red
fl i mounted to his temples but he said unhesitatingly
fli H I would like to ask for a dinner here if limay I H
Shirley drew her brows togcthcrin annoyance at this
1 speech It had not bcen what she expected though she
could not have told ivliyShctsas ashamedof the
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momentary interest the man had awakened in h rO He
all
was a mere tramp after
And he continued I can pay for it in cither of
sonic tunes on lily fiddle
I three way one by playing t nes n
little pen = a 1liilk x tch
here another by making you a pen
of your house and the third in vulgar pence = though
in that my limit is fifteen cents for a meal f
Shirley laughed uneasily Dim crf over hours and
Jtours Idf tt 1 think uppcr is
tours ago she answered In facUj tldinlJuPP
y rattle dis Jtcstvas
under waynow for a cheerful of
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OJ Thank you the man replied Then what is the
price to bea tune a penny or a sketch v
uThe tune if you please
The tramp opened his violin case took out an old
brown fiddle tucked it under his chin and began to
play It was early summer The dooryard was rife
with roses and the porch thickly screenedby Japanese
honeysuckle vines and as he played their combined
fragrance stirred by the soft summer breeze smote his
senses like an intoxicant
Ah indeed how he played The girl sat listening
her hands folded quietly in hcr lap lice thoughts far
away He questioned as he saw her iabitraclcd look
whether she understood music Hc > cbuld not tell for
Shirleys face did not reflect her emotions
He was soon enlightened however for as he con
cluded she said rather timidly I dont like Strauss
that is not for just now Play me sonic Italian music
the kind that fits in with the roses acid June
So the musician played on and on and well earned
his supper and as he played he wondered this maiden
in the simple while frock knew she was very beautiful
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with her roseleaf checks and her rcd old hair Did
she know too that her voice was likpa little strain of
a Strauss waltz itself OJ Pshaw of course she docs he
jeered at himself She is probably the village beauty
and has half the swains of the countryside at her feet
He brought down his bow with a start as a loud and
distinctly antagonistic voice from the doorway called
out Teas ready That there fiddler can takcmyn in
the kitchen with the hired man I sposc what hes
Jiangin round here for somcthin to cat If ycrrant
was here shed put him to work at the 6dDildiHtl hd
of sawin on that old squeaky thing 1 > j
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Please do what I ask you to Hannah Shirley sad
and Hannah flounced off to do as she was hid f
The man held up his duststained hands ruefully lid
Shirley noticed their long slender fingers 1 tlimk
Hannah is right again he said smiling gravely Ill
just have a snack in the kitchen < k
1 I wasnt brought up in that fashion the girl aji
swcrcd with some spirit My father always taught tis
that the stranger within our gales must share our bel
Of course she added laughingly these arc AiYjit +
Lucllas gales but you are a gentleman even = i l
Even if I am a tramp he concluded for her >
Youll lind a basin and water and soap on the bilk
porch she told him II And Hannah will give yquVa
clean toweland dont mind her scolding please H a 11
e
nah means well J
As they ate their hot biscuits omelet and strawber
ries with cream they said little but the girl wondered
more and more what sort of man this could be who
tramped the country and played for his dinner ycl wj0
ate like a gentleman and certainly talked like one
When he did speak however iL was only of the counjry
through which he was passing the plenitude of things
the general prosperity and the glorious air
I dont know very much about this part ofyfhc
world she told him in answer to some qucslionjic
had put to her Ive only heen here a month ts
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nice of course but thcscMuHs dont take the place of
my blue Virginia mountains T > u a Southerner1 yoit
see but since my father andiTiolhcr died several years
ago Ive been at a boanliatig school in Washington
Now Ive come up here to fr mothers sister and infthc
fall Im going to ICaChi jjtlic village school J Jic
flushed deeply as she concluded hurriedly ashamed fiat
cOI4UGHT rxa
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she had been led by his absorbed interest in her every
word into speaking of her affairs to a stranger
il And I live nowhere he told her as if owing her
a confidence in return But 1 have been an orphan
too these many years The sky is my mother and the
earth my father and the road is my pal and fellow
traveler It goes with me step by step opening out
its heart as we go always new strange and alluring
It waits for me now at the gate as you see and I must
go on Thank you for a supper that was meant for a
king and not for a poor tramp
Shirley followed him out on the porch I Wont you
play for me just once more before you go she eri
treated It has been so long since I heard any really
good music In Washington I used to go to some con
certs and the opera whenever it came there i but now I
never hear anything better than the Frolic of the
Frogs or Silvery Waves of the village music
teacher
The tramp smiled and again laid his fiddle under his
chin He played in the twilight now for dusk had
nearly fallen The west was red still but a single great
star burned there Seeing it he played the evening star
song 0 thou sublime sweet evening star I the
inusjc yearn d and there seemed as he played a
Bridge between earthly thoughts and those strange emo
lions born of God
r Shirley shut the gate with a little click behind him
as he finally went out but he lingered yet a moment
outside as if loath to leave the little garden
Goodnight 1t he said reluctantly V
I And you the girl exclaimed bluntly I you who
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play these beautiful things and understand them you
arc an ordinary tramp I cannot believe it
The man flushed deeply and then laughed Then he
said Dont think me just an ordinary tramp but an
extraordinary one who likes Verdi and Wagner and
bread and butter in plenty but who most of all likes
and needs the freedom of Gods out ofdoors He
lifted his hat but she held him back
But if jsnt always sunrise or sunsctr she said
I Jts dark creepy night and there arc fearful storms
Where do you find shelter such limes
flic man as if prompted by a sudden impulse lifted
hisvioliii out of its box again Listen and Ill tell
you he said He played once m9re and this time he
sang tool in a deep rich barytone b
v r A V
f > Byroad and river countryside and town
I wamlcr daily with my fiddle brown r >
Creeping under barns so gladly
When outside the tempest howls
Playing sadly playing madly
faking up the rats and owls
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An it is gay > night and day
ft Fair and cloudy weather
Fiddle and I wandering by
I j Over the world together
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I Ddwn by the willow summer nights I lie
Flottrs for my pillow and for roof the sky
PJajing all that heart remembers
011 old songs from far away
G Jflcn Junes and bleak Decembers
VRisc around me as I play
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fAh it is gay night and day >
V Fair and cloudy weather
Fiddle and I wandering by 1
i Over the world together
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> The litcncrs eyes were moist but she smiled as if
lo hidcliori clinG OJ Promise me she said that you
fyill conic back this way again this summer and play
> for i1tcJ a
The mangy turned resolutely I promise he said
God wiUiiig
He went at last but turned once at the crossroads
where lie 1 fight have a last sight of the white farm
house Shijlcy was still standing at the gate gazing
after his retreating form
In late September the tramp passed that way again
not the same x tramp for he was made new by the heal
ing of nature He was no longer thin and pale but stal
yqrt and ruddy and he swung along with the buoyancy
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of ltealth4l
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Shirley cjimc from the village where she had been to
g t the mail i It was a good mile and a half to the farm
bpuse bull sie liked the walk and better still to get
away froji the narrow circle of her aunts insular butt
kiiidly1 rat ire and from Hannahs sharp tongue As
she got qmtc out of the village she was surprised to
hear music coming from behind a great oaktree by
J he sid j the road She stopped suddenly for she
recosni1 the song her u extraordinary tramp as she
lvays cilled him in her thoughtshad played and
S i11B forlicr that June day Seeing her pause he came
Otjrillth road and bowed to her
I wain the village he explained and saw you
go ihto tjjc postomcc I came out here and waited on
the vnan t meeting you and keeping my promise to
play for illI again He did not tell her how many
w miles hVljaVl conic out of his way to keep that promise
+ di t houghthe I if I went on to the house
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your aunt might be there and perhapswell perhaps she
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might not appreciate music
J She wouldnt Shirley laughed except Onward I
Christian Soldiers or Old Hundred i
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Which unfortunately arc not in my repertoire Ke
laughed in return May I walk by your side for a few
steps
Why notthe girl answered t
1 There is no reason really he said in return II TOe
road has no conventions 1
J We arc three she said smiling 1 you your pal
and myself Yon may walk with inc as far as the cross
roads there by the big willow you shall play forme
again and then youcan go on your own free way and I
will go back to my conventions she ended a little
sadly
Shirley scanned his face in one swift glance You
look different great deal better she said I
I am no longer ill he told her and then went on
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speaking rapidly 1 I think I will tell you part of my
story at least he said It will take only a few mo
ments I should like to have left you that June day
with a better opinion of me but as it was only an ex
periment I didnt think I ought to I am not a tramp
a real hobo he told her but a very ordinary man in
the disguise of one I am Willard Baker newspaper
man at your service
II And I am Shirley Baker schoolmistress she said
1 Yes I know he answered II I found out by a few
discreet questions back there in the village today I did
not do it for curiosity but because I wantedto know the
name of the one person who in all my wanderings has
treated me like an equal A flannel shirt1 and > knapsack
make lots of difference dont they It hesaid a trifle
bitterly
Its like thishe went on Whileon a story ont
day in the New York slums I contracted typhoid fever
I had it for seven months and when I finally got on mj
feet again they were about all I had left The doctors
in the hospital said my heart and lungs were shaky and
that I must take a long sea voyage or a summer in the
mountains and that I must sleep out of doors if possible
I
As I had just fifty dollars to myname the paper had
kept me onthe payroll as long as they decently could I
the thing looked preposterous But didnt intend to
let a little thing like the lack oi mono keep me down I
after fighting for my life all those month So thought 1
out the plaubf coming up here theJlcrkshircs and
tramping it for a while I was studying music and
could play fairly well and I could draw in a slapdash
sort of way I thought the two combined might earn
me food enough though I should have preferred the
more muscular sort of work Id have sawed wood
that day you know he added quickly as if he wanted
to explain something particularly if I had been able
You sec he concluded the experiment has been
a success Im on my way back to the city again The
paper will give me a job so its shoulder arms and for
ward march until the next onslaught of fate
Im so glad I Shirley said her eyes hining 1 I
knew all the time someway that you werent even that
extraordinary tramp you told me to think you I used
to wonder how you were getting on and shudder nights
when there was a hard storm
You neednt have worried he replied smiling back
at her U I would lie in a barn those nights and wonder
if you would give me strawberries and cream when I
came your way again I
1 Hardly laughed Shirley in September lit t
The old brown fiddle was brought into use once again
1
and this time its music was a bridge between heart
young with joy and rich with hope
Promise me the player said when he had finished
II that I may come this way again and play for you Ill
get acquainted with the village preacher so I can get
him to introduce usfor Aunt Lucllas sake he smiled
Can you promise i
t II I promise said Shirley smiling I and now good
night She held out her hand to him and he took it for
a brief second and held it in his own Then she started
homeward in the dusk
From far down the road a strain of music waswafted
backa joyful happy tune to which the wordsVof an
old nursery rhyme had been set s
Bobby Shaftos gone to sea
Silver buckles on his knee
Hell come back and marry me
Little Bobby Shafto
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BY ROAD AND XtVKR COUNTRYSIDE AND TOWN I WANDER
i DAILY WITH MY FIDDLE DROWN
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