The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-10-24
800.
NV Experience in Running Away.

NY Experience in Running Away.
At thirteen years of age was seized with a
strong desire to run away. can give no rea'
son for wanting to do 30, except that my lmag-
ination, which at that time was very active,
pictured to me most glorious career by 80
doing. I did not contemplate this sudden
change in nv life without forethought; on the
contrary, I had formed numerous plans for its
successful accomplishment. I intended to OBJ
tain most Of my, food BY shooting such wild
animals as chanced to meet with, and as l
was good hunter for my. age, / saw no danger
of my being obliged to beg or starye. AS 1
was used to camping out in all kinds of wealth
er, did not worry about how I should lodge.
But the main obstacle to the enterprise was the
probability of my being pursued by the sheriff,
who might capture and bring me home in dis
grace. But TRUSTED this difficulty to fortune,
which I fondly hoped would favor me.
My home was few miles from the town OF
MedwaY, in Maine, and my design was, on de-
serting it, make my way through the mighty
forests of that State, until arrived in Canada.
One night, it was the second of June, de-
termined to start on my long anticipated. jour-
ney. / had to 20 to bed in order to avoid sus-
picion, and though ordinarily have found it
extremely difficult to keep awake, now sleep
seemedan entire stranger to me-. The doubts
and uncertainties of my position. began to mul-
tiply, although honestly wished them in OBJ;
liyion. Once I Thought Of giving up my wild
plans for the future, but I concluded at last not
to Weld to what / then called my foolish
thoughts.
Finally, after had kicked the bed clothes
off the bed for the sixth time, the clock struck
twelve. i hastily dressed myself and prepared
to make my exit from the house. j slept in
the garret, while my parents were in the room
directly under mine which opened into long,
narrow entry through which must pass before
could reach the ground floor. This was asquite
SERIOUS. obstacle in my way, for my father
was q light sleeper. / began slowly to descend
the stairs that led to the entry, but despite my
utmost caution the boards on the stairs would
creak, and in such q manner that my excited
imagination persuaded me o half dozen times
that was discovered. On reaching the entry
/ paused,a moment, so dangerous did the pas
sage of it seem to me. Overcoming my fears,
however, stealthily started forward, but when
came opposite the door by which my parents
room was entered, became more cautious than
ever. Just as was congratulating myself on
the eminent success I was having, l hit the
door-knob with my elbow. My father was IN
stantly awakened.
"What is that noise?" said he:
at is nothing but the cat" said my mother,
who was aroused from her sleep.
"I don't think it's the cat. The noise doesn't
sound as if it were made by one. am going
to get up and see what the cause OF 1t Is, an
swered my father.
was uncertain as to the course ought to
pursue. A hasty retreat or advance would
most certainly betray me. While IN this dl-
lemma, a brilliant thought happened to cross
my mind. Why should I not make believe l
was a cat ?. was an excellent mimic, especial
" in initiating the mewing of cat. In my
desperate situation I could extricate myself
from my present predicament. No time was
to be lost, so began to utter such sounds as
supposed a cat would with all possible dispatch.
The ruse succeeded admirably, for had the
satisfaction of hearing my father say:
"You were right. Its nothing but the cat"
After this narrow escape, / arrived In the
kitchen without any further trouble. Igotmy
gun, powder and shot, and wrapped in piece
Of paper enough food to last several days.
deemed it no more than proper to inform
my parents of my departure in time to relieve
their anxiety about me. wrote them the fol-
lowing note: o. I
MY DEAR PARENTs-I have concluded to
run away. You will probably not see me for
FIVE or six years, until I get rich. Do not wor.
~ ~ about me. T shall get along ali right. 1
shall write to you, but Of course must not in
form you of my place of residence. hope |
am not doing anything wrong From your at
fectionate son, ~ ''7''3 t!~n JOSHUA.
I read this over several times with great sat-
isfaction, and, folding it up, placed it on the
kitchen table. Taking my gun in hand
walked toward the door to leave the house, and
must confess that it was not without tear
that did soF Suddenly was startled from
my mournfuT reflections by a loud knocking at
the door Of course did not answer this
summons, but went instead, with all possible
speed, into the pantry, where + concealed my
self behind the -four barreE.1 Ina few minutes
[ / heard my father approaching This did not
give me much concern, for Isupposed he would
10 directly to- the door, where he could learn
Che business Of whoever was knocking outside.
Alas, for my h6pesl He came to the pantry,
opened the door, walked in and took up cane
that lay against the -four barrel. Heafterwards
told me that he thought that the person at the
door might be robber, and therefore deemed
it expedient to have some weapon Of defence
in his. hands. AS my father stopped down to
take up the cane he saw me squatted behind
Che barrel; and at first mistook me for thief
voice Vs Of thunder, while he raised his cane in
threatening manner:
"Have nlercyl It is me-" cried.
| For moment he seemed lost in astonisment
but he presently recovered himself.
"Go to bed and don't let me see you out of it
again tonight. You shall pay dearly for this
in the morning" said ne; The person who
knocked at the door was a drunken straggler.
In the morning received severe fogging,
which soon dispersed the romantic dreams
had cherished SO highly the day before.
GAME LAWS FOR SOUTH CARoLINA.-A
club of prominent gentlemen at Charleston, S.
c., has organized for the protection of game,
and to procure the enactment of judicious game
laws for that State. While we rejoice to see
that a love of manly sport has not been entire
l,r nrnahad mt hut still smnulders heneath the