e of some minutes, I chained Lord
Edward to a post at a little distance from the apple-tree. When he was
secure, the tramp descended nimbly from his perch, notwithstanding his
stiff legs, and hurried out of the gate. He stopped to make no remarks
over the fence. With a wild howl of disappointed ambition, Lord Edward
threw himself after him. But the chain held.

A lane of moderate length led from our house to the main road, and the
next day, as we were riding home, I noticed, on the trunk of a large
tree, which stood at the corner of the lane and road, a curious mark. I
drew up to see what it was, but we could not make it out. It was a very
rude device, cut deeply into the tree, and somewhat resembled a square,
a circle, a triangle, and a cross, with some smaller marks beneath it. I
felt sure that our tramp had cut it, and that it had some significance,
which would be understood by the members of his fraternity.

And it must have had, for no tramps came near us all that summer. We
were visited by a needy person now and then, but by no member of the
regular army of tramps.

One afternoon, that fall, I walked home, and at the corner of the lane
I saw a tramp looking up at the mark on the tree, which was still quite
distinct.

"What does that mean?" I said, stepping up to him.

"How do I know?" said the man, "and what do you want to know fur?"

"Just out of curiosity," I said; "I have often noticed it. I think
you can tell me what it means, and if you will do so, I'll give you a
dollar."

"And keep mum about it?" said the man.

"Yes," I replied, taking out the dollar.

"All right!" said the tramp. "That sign means that the man that lives up
this lane is a mean, stingy cuss, with a wicked dog, and it's no good to
go there."

I handed him the dollar and went away, perfectly satisfied with my
reputation.

I wish here to make some mention of Euphemia's methods of work in her
chicken-yard. She kept a book, which she at first called her "Fowl
Record," but she afterward changed the name to "Poultry Register." I
never could thoroughly understand this book, although she has often
explained every part of it to me. She had pages for registering the age,
description, time of purchase or of birth, and subsequent performances
of every fowl in her yard. She had divisions of the book for expenses,
profits, probable losses and positive losses; she noted the number of
eggs put under each setting hen; the number of eggs cracked