The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-10
.fur the Noaa0 fplGs.


40 Grandpa ~ shouted little Freddie :
zee, climbing up into his grandfather's !,
ap, 81 do wish you would tell me a
tory. shouldn't be so restless If YOU
would.n
"Well, Freddie" replied his grandpa,
''what kind of story shall 1t be?-a
fairy tale"''
go, no; real live story--one that
will make me shiver; one Of your own
adventures which really happened"
"Once upon time" commenced the
old man; but he had scarcely spoken
the words when he was interrupted by
his grandson, who exclaimed
Don't commence fairy-story way; |
I'd like 1t better to he, when | was a .
boy"
"Well, when was q boy fear | was |
not so contented az | ought to have
been, for / had good home, kind
parents, plenty 10 eat, and clothes
enough to wear"
"Why wasn't you contented, grand
pa?n said Freddie.
"Bccause l thought farm.work was
too hard;and, ,livingi ina small town, Ihad
- not the advantages of attending school
as city boys have. | had read enough
Of foreign countries, their customs, and
manners, to make me ycarn to learn
more. Now this knew could be ac-
complished by going to a large school;
and once ] set my mind upon going, l
ea,,,ainn1 Of ,,pyiI ,tl,p. md
mother knew of my wish"
"Were they willing to have You go,
grandpa ?''
"They reluctantly consented mt last,
for they were aware that no one could
wrcst a good education from me-
"IIow did you go, grandpa ?"--in the
cars?"
1--WE did not have cars in those days,
Freddie; nothing but numbering old
stage-coach, which passed by the school
to which l was going. Mr.. Ledlaw was
the teachers name, and kind man
he was to his "band of Children" as
he always called his school-boys. Poor
man! But | should not say poor, for he
is better off in his heavenly home.
as he dead, gradpa?"
eyes, Freddie, he has been dead
many years.
"Well, go on with the story"
~ arrived at last at the academy, and
soon learned the routine of school du-
ties. Every study came easy TO me,
save composition; somehow that was
exceedingly difficult for me to write;
and as the penalty of appearing in the
recitation-room without one on the day
they were required, subjected us to the
punishment of rising earlier the next
morning to write one, you may be as
sured tried hard to fulfil the require
ment. One morning, however, I failed
TO bring it; and Mr.. Ledlaw, after OBJ
tanning the others, asked me for
mine.
81 have none" l replied
"And why have you not ?" he ask
ed.
because cannot write one"
Cannot, Harry that is a very
strange word to come from one who is
so smart as you generally are, and can
take no such excuse from you. You
know the penalty, which is, that you
must rise two hours earlier tomorrow
morning, and accomplish your task"
81 thought Mr.. Ledlaw was extreme
ly harsh and unreasonable; and as /
foolishly imagined that / really could
not write the composition, | resolved,
during the afternoon, to run away in
the night, thus escaping my bugbcar.
The time came for the boys to 20 to bed,
and did up ali my clothes in a little
bundle, and undrcssed myself, got into
bed, and made up my mind that as
soon as the house was still, | would
make my escape. Thoughts fitted
through my mind of the adventurous
life I WAS 10 lead, and that after | had
been away some time, / would return
to father and mother, who would be so
glad to see me that they would readily
forgive me for my runaway frolic still
/ kept thinking until my eyes grew
heavy, and | fell asleep.
III thought | heard n clock strike
twelve, so jumped up, dressed myself,
throwing my bundle over my shoulder,
and taking my shoes in my hand.
crept down stairs and got out of one of
the lower windows; then ! stopped and
put on my shoes, thinking what fine
thing it was to be frJ from the restraint
of school; and | really thought how
happy the old trees must be--for they
had no compositions to write.
~ wandered along until / heard foot
steps behind me; and imagining that
my escape had been discovered, hasti-
ly hid myself behind 4 big tree, hoping
whoever they belonged TO, would pass
me by unnoticed. Two young men
whom | had never seen before, and who
were rs villainous a looking pair as /
could ever wish not to see again, now
came along and seated themselves in
front of the very tree where / had Sc
creted myself
81 say, Griffith" exclaimed the elder
of the two, "if we only had smart boy
now to help us in our work while we
are breaking into some store, he could
be keeping sharp look out. / wish we
could come across such a boy I'd take
him along very quick"
80, grandpa, l commence to shiver,"
cried little Freddie, clinging closer to
his grandfather.
"Well, Freddie, Ishivered with fear
myself when heard this man talk, and
was almost afraid to breathe lest the
least sound should discover me-"
"I've often thought" said the one
called Griffith, "what q good idea it
would be to break into old Ledlaw's
school some dark nipht and l;dno, ono