Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-12
Calls a,sd Sketehes.
LED OUT OF DANGER.
TCONCLUDED FROM YESTERDAY.
BR JEAN INGELOW.

''Heydayt' y cries the boy, what is this =?
Oh, how it tears my hands Oh, this thorn
bush. Oh, my arms! | can't get free !"
He struggles and pants. All this comes
of leaving the path, he says 81 shouldn't
care for rolling down if it hadn't been for
this bush The fern was soft enough I'll
never stray away in a wood at night again.
There, free, free at last And my Jacket
nearly torn off my back"
With good deal of patience and great
many scratches, he got free of the thorn
which had arrested his progress when his
feet were within a yard OF the water, man
ages to scramble to the bank, and make
the best of his way through the wood.
And now, as the clouds move slowly on.
ward the moon shows her face on the black
surface OF the water, and the little white
owl comes and boots and fiutters over il
like Il wandering snowdriit. But the boy
is in the woods again, and knows nothing
OF the danger from which he has escaped.
All this time the dark passenger follows
the main track and believes that the boy is
before him. AT last he hears crashing of
dead boughs, and presently the little mid
| shipman's voice, not many yards before
him. Yes, it is too true the boy is in the
cross track He will pass the cottage in
the wood directly and after that his pursr-
er will come upon him.
The boy bounds into the path; as he
sees the cottage he is thirsty and so hot
that he thinks he must ask the inhabitants
if they can sell him a glass of ale.
He enters without ceremony-"A ?''
says the woodman, who was sitting at his
| supper. ''No. we have no ale, but perhaps
my wife can give thee a drink of milk.
Come in.n So he comes i'm and shuts the
| door, and while he sits waiting for the milk
hears the footsteps of his pursuer, who
goes on with stake in his hand, angry and
| impatient that he has not yet come up with
| him.
The woman goes to the dairy for the
milk, and the boy thinks she is gone long
time.
Fast and faster the man runs after him.
1t is very dark, but there is yellow streak
in the sky, where the moon is plowing up
a iurrowed mass of gray clouds. and one
or two stars are blinking through the
branches of the trees.
| Fast the boy follows, and fast the man
runs on with the weapon in his hand. Sud-
denly he hears the joyous whoop, not be-
| fore but behind him. He stops and listens
noiselessly; yes it is so. He pushes him
| self into the thcket, and raises his stake
when the boy shall pass.
| On he comes, running lightly, with his
| hands in his pockets. A sound strikes at
the same instant ON the ears of both and
| the boy turns back from the very Jaws of
death to listen. 1t is the sound of wheels,
and it draws rapidly nearer. A man
comes up driving Il gig: "Ililloa !" he
says, in a loud, cheerful voice. "What,
| benighted youngster ?"
"Oh, is it you, Mr.. D---gn says the
| boy; mo, am not benighted, or at any
rate, know my way in the woods
The man drew further back among the
shrubs. why, bless the boy" he hears
the farmer say. ''to think of our meeting
in this way. The parson told me he was
in hopes OF seeing thee some day this
week. III give thee lift. This is lone
place to be in this time O night
'Lone? ?' says the boy, laughing. II
don't mind that and if you know the way
it's as safe as the quarter deck"
So he gets into the farmers gig, and is
| once more out of the reach of the pursuer
But the man knows that the farmers house
is quarter of mile nearer than the par
sonage, and in that quarter of mile there
is n chance of committing robbery He
determined still to make the attempt and
cuts across the woods with such rapid
strides that he reaches the farmers gate
just as the gig drives up to it.
"Well, thank you, farmer says the
midshipman, as he prepares to get down.
II wish you good night, gentlemen" ;"
says the man when he passes.
Good night, friend, y the farmer replies.
81 say, my boy, it's a dark night enough :;
but have Il mind to drive you on to the
parsonage, and hear the rest of this long
story of yours about the sea serpent.
The little wheels 90 on again. They
pass the man; and he stands still in the
road till the sound dies away. Then he
filings his stake into the hedge and goes
back again. His evil purposes have all
been frustrated-the thoughtless boy has
baffled him at every step.
And now the little mdshipman is at
home; the joyful meeting has taken place
and when they have all admired his growth
and decided who he was like, and measur-
ed his height on the window frame, and
seen him eat his supper, they begin to
question him concerning his adventures.
more for the sake Of hearing him talk than
any curiosity.
"Adventures ~ says the boy, seated be- |
tween his father and mother on the sofa |
why, ma, did write an account OF the |
voyage, and there is nothing else to tell |
Nothing happened to-day-at least moth |
ing particular"
"You came by the coach we told you
ofp' asks his father.
80, yes, papa; and when we got about
twenty miles there came up beggar,
while we were changing horses, and
threw down Gas thoughD shilling but
as 1t fell, saw it was a sovereign She
was very honest and showed me what it
was, but didn't take it back, for you
know, mamma, it's long time since |
gave any thing to anybody"
Very true, my boy, " answers his moth
er, "but you should not be careless with
your money, and few beggars are worthy
objects of charity"
Il suppose you got down at the cross
roads?" said his eldest brother.
"Yes, and went through the wood.