Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-26

fast to ts side to keep from being throw
. about
"What will mother think at home ?
gasped Clarence, trying in vain TO find Q
crevice out Of which he could peep at the
surrounding country. His country wa,
blackness just then. The time seemed
days, the way endless, aud then the thud
ding rumble grew less and less The car
was standing still lie renewed his knock.
and shouts and kicks but no one came, and
after few moments the old motion began
again. lie held fast, until his hands were
sore from the friction. The tears came and
rolled down his checks, for he could not let
go to wipe them from bis eyes. After
another hour the train stopped again, and
he felt the motion Of backing then all was
still in the car, while the great locomotive
engine throbbed itself into the distance.
If | could see where am" thought
Clarence. But not sound was heard.
The car was switched Of somewhere and
left; but where was in
What if nobody should come aud let
me out What if ! should have to stay
in here till | starved and diedl And
then he thought of all the sore trouble his
absence would make at home. lie listened
intently for the sound of footstep, for he
was growing very cold aud be wondered il
it was night. At last they came, the
sweetest sounds that Clarence had ever
heard, and yet they b~. ,Le tramp ur
heavy feet on frozen ground. The boy for
got to cry aloud, be was so eager 10 his
listening. Yes, they were coming he
could hear voices, as Of men talking. Then
he knocked with feet aud hands be shout
ed aloud, but his voice was well nigh drown.
ed in the dark, close car.
whats this?" said one Of the men.
There's somebody stolen a free ride in that
car, reckon" The pin was taken out,
the door showed back, aud Clarence was
nearly blinded by the full light Of day, for
it was not yet O'Clock. He had not been
imprisoned quite four hours, but the Jour
ney had seemed to him the length Of the
United States.
"Where am | ?" asked Clarence
"At Barton. Meant to steal ride, did
you p asked ono Of the men.
"No, | did not got carried or" re-
piled Clarence, with indignation.
Well you had better start back pretty
quick, boy Where did you come from %
"From Binghsmton. How far is it?'
About 40 miles Take that road"
And the men went on their way thinking
little Of their careless words to the boy.
He started, aud walked until it was al
most dark. Then be reached Tioga Center.
lie passed through the village, and went
on until it was 80 dark that be could not
see. A farmhouse was near by, but no
friendly light CLEANED out from IT, Car-
ence thought the folks had gone to bed.
lie did not like to wake them up; besides
he was afraid they would think he was
beggar-boy. Near the barn.yard there
was large stack Of hay with a fence about
it, to keep the cattle from getting in.
Clarence jumped the fence, pulled out some
hay, made berth for himself, crawled 10,
and, with the summers red-top and clover
for bed and covering, he fell asleep. The
tears stole out from his tired eyelids with
the last moments Of consciousness, after
which sleep warmed his cheeks and dried
his tears, and sweetly freshened every tired
nerve and muscle for the great trial of the
morrow. There lay between his hay-stack
bed and his home "a miles of frozen land,
and Clarence was only ! years old, and
had eaten neither dinner nor supper that
day.
Light came from over the east, and with
a quiver the boys eyelids opened He
sprang up, fully dressed. NJ smoke curl
ed from the farm house chimney nobody
was astir SO early. He started for the
long march. In his pocket was the corn
that he had gathered yesterday. Hun
ger was strong, and the lad ate few kern.
els, wondering why horses seemed to like it
so we'll
At Osweg 20 some boys sent him two miles
in the wrong direction. He met an old
man, who told him he must 60 back That
made four extra miles to walk. Clarence
cried With cold and hunger and weariness,
yet he never thought to beg ride back by
rail, or to ask piece of bread, even, at
house door. +" They'll think me beggar
if do, and I'd rather 60 hungry than
beg" he thought. So he pressed on mile
after mile, while the day went its round.
His cheeks were frozen from the flow Of
his tears, his toes aud heels were touched
by frost, but be had reached Union, and
that was not many miles, he knew, from
home. Ia all that day be was overtaken
by but two wagons They we're so heavily
laden that their drivers walked therefore
he could not ask ride of either of them.
1t was after dark when the friendly lights !
Of Binghamton were seen.
Clarence thought be could not get home. |
The last few blocks were longer than the
miles had been, and yet he knew. if he fell
down there, somebody who knew him would
be certain to find him. He came dragging
himself wearily up to the house. No one
saw him until he opened the door. The
house was full Of friends and kindly souls, |
who were come to sympathze with his
mother. Clarence opened the door and sur
prised them all, With one shout they
cried, Here comes the lost boy !" while
his mother sprang forward and clasped him
in her arms. Clarence was too tired to
tell his story, Just then. They gave him
food, for he had eaten nothing bat few
kernels of corn since Fridays breakfast,
and had not drunk even one drop Of water
since leaving home.
Thus ends this true story of Clarence
Shank's ride in the grain-car, How nice it
would be if all the lost children could come
home, as Clarence came il never a hearth.
stone remained cold, for the want of the
living touch of the little feet that stray
and come not again Clarence thinks his
home far nicer place than grain-car on
the Erie road and the roof Of his fathers
house better shelter, in January, than
red-top and clover.---Our Young Folks.
WOMEN AND Mss. = Adyerting to
wicked saying, that few women have the |