| Show ME ARE WE THE WISE ONES he was Bitti aft in the sun bun on a pile of lumber beside him lay the kit of a vagrant umbrella mender and he had just unwrapped a huge sandwich of bread and meat which some hospitable woman had given him good morning we saluted cheerfully as we passed for there was something so in the sunshine that madeus made us feel frel renial gernal goodmore good morn ing he be with equal cheer fulhem as he cast aside the wrap ing from his san sandwich divich and eyed the generous slices of bread with satisfaction action As we sat down at the desk and became busy with the morning commes mail we could not get the tramp umbrella mender out of our mind always there kept recurring the thought which is the wise roan man the happy go lucky knight of the road or the chap who struggles to make something of himself and keep up appearances 7 the first letter opened was a n noties notice from tho the bank that a note we had discounted two months ago he had not been apen paid and we were called upon to take it up my friend on the lumber pile never knew the joy of being compelled to replace money he had earned and spent because the fellow that owed him had defaulted the next envelope contained a bill for a considerable sum aum true it due but it cited the fact that prices were advancing viciously the knife win was thrust into the next envelope here was a good vigor urs kick A foreign advertisement in the last hot issue had not been inserted at the top of the column as aa was war specified in the contract oh things were breaking lovely this beautiful morning we shoved aside the mail and began to wonder if it paid after all to try our scheme of civilization all wrong wrongs which was the jimr wis erthe the tramp or the business many the vagrant breathes the same nine pure air he had his break fast minus the grapefruit it I 1 is true but just as nourishing as ours he collected for the job as soon as it was completed soon the cool sweet summer nights nighta will doge close over him as he lies upon some gratin bank and gazes up at the stars while the chorus of croaking frogs lulls him to sleep the price ol of gasoline has haa no terrors for him he can travel while we must stay here hem and get out the paper lor for an unappreciative public if he loses a dime he cusses and goes on his hia way he have to take a bath un on less he wants to and when he does he plunges into a cool creek and dries drie himself in the sun while we have to scrub out the tub he can just be his hia own lazy independent self while we must keep up the eternal bluff if we never write another line for this sheet you yon may know belv weve c chucked b k it th the whole hl deep darn thing and gone out 1 to live res as our or forefathers did before they inauen rated thia but t wonderful nd system of chiv ex |
