The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-06-08


to him in the wilds of Van Dieman's
land, which, as pictorially represented in
his geography, seemed to be deficient in
corner groceries and matches.
Exactly as the clock struck the half
hour the straw hat and short legs of
Master Charles Summerton disappeared
behind the corner. He ran rapidly,
partly by way of inuring himself to the
fatigues of the journey before him and
partly by way of testing his speed with
that of North Beach car which was
proceeding in that direction. The con-
ductor not aware of this generous emu
lation, and being somewhat concerned
at the spectacle of pair of very short
twinkling legs so far in the rear, stopped
his car and generously assisted the
youthful Summerton upon the platform.
From this point hiatus of several hours
duration occurred in Master Charles
narrative. He is under the impression
that he rode out not only his two tickets,
but that he subsequently became in
debted to the company for several trips
to and from the opposite termini, and
that, at last, resolutely refusing to give
any explanation of his conduct, he was
finally elected, much to his relief, on a
street corner. Although, as he informs
us, he felt perfectly satisfied with the
arrangement, he was compelled under
the circumstances, to hurl after the con-
ductor an opprobrious appellation, which
he had ascertained from Patsey was the
correct thing in such emergencies, and
possessed peculiarly exasperating proper
ties.
We now approach a thrilling part of
the narrative, before which most of the
adventures of the "Boy's Own Book"
pale into insignificance. There are times
when the recollection of this adventure
causes Charles to break into cold
sweat, and he has since its occurrence
been awakened by lamentations and out
cries in the night season by merely
dreaming of it. On the corner of the
street lay several empty sugar hogsheads.
A few young gentlemen disposed them
selves therein, armed with sticks, with
which they removed the sugar which
still adhered to the stave joints, and con-
veyed it to their mouths. Finding a
cask not yet preempted, Master Charles
set to work, and for few moments re-
veled in a wild ssccharine dream, whence
he was finally aroused by an angry
voice and the rapidly retreating foot
steps of his comrades. An ominous
sound smote upon his ear, and the next
moment he felt the cask wherein he lay
uplifted and set against the wall. He
was a prisoner, but as yet undiscovered
Being satisfied in his mind that hanging
was the systematic and legalized penalty
for the crime he had committed, he kept
down manfully the cry that rose to his
lips.
In few moments he felt the casb
again lifted by q powerful hand, which
appeared above hum at the edge OF his
prison, and which he concluded belonged
to the ferocious giant, Blunderbore
whose features and limbs he had fire.
quently met in colored pictures. Before
he could recover from his astonishment
his cask was placed with several Others
on cart and rapidly driven away. The
ride which ensued he describes as being
fearful in the extreme. Rolled around
like pill in box, the agonies which he
suffered may be limited at, not spoken
Evidences of that protracted struggle
were visible on his garments, which were
of the consistency of syrup, and his hair
which for several hours, under the treat
ment of hot water, yielded thin treacle
At length the cart stopped on one of the
wharves, and the driver began to unload
As he tilted over the cask in which
Charles lay, an exclamation burst from
his lips, and the edge of the cask fell from
his hands, sliding its late occupant to the
wharf. To regain his short legs, and tr
put the greatest possible distance be-
tween himself and the cartman, were his
first movements on regaining his liberty
He did not stop until he reached the
corner of Front street.
Another blank succeeded in this vera
cious history. He cannot remember how
or when he found himself in front of the
circus-tent. He had an indistinct re-
membrance of having passed through 8
long street or streets, which were al
closed, and which made him fear that il
was Sunday, and that he had spent 8
miserable night in the sugar cask. But
he remembered hearing the sound oi
music within the tent, and of creeping
upon his hands and knees when no one
was looking, until he passed under the
canvas. His description of the wonders
contained in that circle, of the terrific
feats performed by man on a pole
since practiced by him in the back yard
of the horses, one of which was spotted
and resembled an animal in his Noah:
ark, hitherto unrecognized and undefn-
ed; of the female equestrians, whose
dresses could only be equalled in magni-
ficence by the frocks of his sisters dolls
of the painted clowns, whose jokes ex-
cited merriment somewhat tinged by
an underlined fear, was an effort OF lang.
uage which this pen could but weakly
transcribe, and which no quantity of ex
clamation points could sufficiently illus
trate. He is not quite certain what fol
lowed. He remembered that almost i'm
mediately on leaving the circus it be-
came dark, and that he fell asleep
waking up at intervals on the corners o
the streets, on front steps, in somebody
arms, and finally in his own bed. HI
was not aware of experiencing any re
gret for his conduct. He does not recall
at any time disposition to go home hi
remembers distinctly that he felt hungry
He has made this disclosure in conf
dence. He wishes to have it respected
He wants to know if you have five cent
about you Bret Harte.
Among the Nails.