Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-10-07
JENNY LAwTON.
by FANNY FERN.

BY FANNY FERN.
"HURRAl School is out p screamed ali
the boys, and up went their caps in
the air, as they ali commenced trying
the strength of their limbs and trowsers,
some by climbing up trees, some over
fences, some by leap-frog, some by bat
and ball; and thus they ali separated, and
went their different ways home and lem
my Lawton went his, too. 1t was not
with 80 light step as his school fellows |;
and VIXEN the last boy was out of sight
he drew deep sigh, and crowding his hat
down over his eyes, and looking carefully
about him in every direction, as if to re-
assure iiuaseE that not one boy lin
gered to keep him company, moved on.
He was an honest boy he had no thought
of stealing anything on the way-it was
not that he was afraid of "the master"
for he was always at the head of his CLASSY
and seemed more anxious to understand
his lessons than any boy in school He
was not afraid any big boy would thrash
him, nor was he lying in wait for any
smaller boy 20 thrash. No, Jenny was
no such coward. On he moved, with
leaden feet, past the old, fem liar spots (;
past the grocer's, with his peanuts and
oranges, and cocosnuts, and nicely potted
flowers, that he hoped would attract the
housewives who came there to buy his
sugar and tea; past the baker 8, with his
tempting pies and tsrts, and piles OF
sugsred cakes, and heaps of candy; past
the toy shop, and the timers, and the
shoe store; he had read sll their signs
till they were as familiar to him as his
own name, and now he had turned the
last corner of the street in which was his
own house Now it was that the child
turned pale, and sat his white teeth to-
gether, and drew his breath hard. His
house was very pretty one, with nice
little garden spotin front, in which were
fragrant flowers, for his mother was very
fond of them-almost as fond as she was
of Jenny. rfH
He had Kind mother, then? Yes;
but do you see that crowd of boys, like
little black swarm, round the pretty white
gate before his house? You cannot see
what they are looking at 30 earnestly in
side the fence, but you can hear their
shouts and laughter, and go, alasl does
Jenny. His face is not white now-it is
as red as the daisies in his mothers gar.
den, and his eyes fash like the raindrops
on the daisies bosoms, that the bright
sun is now shining upon. Alas! when
will there be sunshine in Jemmy's houseS
"Ah, there's Jim now" said rude boy,
loud enough for Jenny to hear Here's
your drunken father, JIM 60
"Stand away go homel off with you
all y shouted Jenny, in harsh, fierce
voice, that contrasted strangely with his
slight figure and sweet, infantile face;
"off with you'll and he walked into the
centre OF the group, where, crouched
upon the ground, was man, .vainly try.
ing, on his hands and knees-for he could
not stand-to reach the door TO get in
his nice broadcloth coat was covered with
dirt; his hat was crushed in; bits OF
straw and grass were sticking in his thick,
black hair; his eyes were red, and he did
not even see his own little boy, who was
crimson with shame as he stood over him,
and vainly tried to help him to his feet.
"Of with you r. shouted Jenny again TO
the boys, who laughed as his father fell
against him, almost knocking him over
"of with you, l sayl" bringing his little
foot to the ground with stamp that
made them all start; then, rushing up to
the door, he rang the bell violently, and
turned his head away, to conceal the
tears that would no longer be kept back.
A woman came to the door--it was Jem-
my's mother, and together they helped in
the drunken husband and father.
No wonder Jenny dreaded going home
from SCHOOL, 1t was not the first time,
nor the second, nor the third, that he had
helped his father in at the area door when
he was too drunk to find his way up the
front steps 10 his own house; and some
times Jenny, only that he thought of his
mother, would have wished himself dead,
1t was 80 terrible-the brutal laugh and
jests of those cruel boys. Oil hope
you never do such mean things l have
known children who taunted their play
mates and schoolfellows with such troubles
when they were angry with them, or
sometimes, as in this case, for mere sport.
1t is sign of base, mean, cruel nature,
and the boy or girl who would remind
any child of their acquaintance of dis
agreeable thing of this kind, which is
hard enough to hear at best, and tWit and
taunt them with it, or pain them by MOTTO
ing 1t in any way, isa boy or girl to be
summed and avoided. Nero, the tyrant,
who roasted people for his amusement,
must have been such boy. i am sorry
TO say have known little girls equally
malicious and wicked - bad women they
will surely grow up, if not broken of such
mean cruelty before they are women.
A drunkaId is drunkard all the same,
whether he gets drunk on bad rum or
champagne; whether he takes his senses
away at the club house, or low, corner
grocery-he comes to the gutter Just as
surely in the end. IL made no difference
TO little Jenny that his father got drunk
on rich old wine, and slipped it from cut
glasses in q handsome apartment his
mother was just as heart broken and her
children just as miserable as they could
be, Dollar after dollar the man was
swallowing, and Jenny might well study
hard and be at the head of his class, for
he would need all he could earn TO coin
into bread and butter, by the time he got
old enough TO keep his mother and lllle
brothers and sisters And jennings father
used TO be so kind--that memory came
often TO the child, 10 make him patient
under his trouble, to help him to excuse
him for the wrong he was doing both
himself and them. "He, was so kind
Onoel" Jenny would sob out in his little
bed at night. II remember" and then
he would beguile himself by remember
ing the walks and rideS he used to take