The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-07-16

enough Of Johnny there, but could not
find him. No one had seen him go into
the car. They all ran their own ways
without stopping for Johnny, and now he
could not be found Hiram had to so
home and tell Mrs. Blake, and be sent
back to telegraph to Mr.. Blake; while
poor mamma walked the house and wrung
her hands and cried and sobbed without
peace, hour after hour But all this
while Johnny was in trouble too. He
woke up, as | said, tired and hungry. He
tried both the car doors; but this time
both were locked. The brakeman had
been careful enough to keep out any
intruders, not knowing that he locked
one in. So nothing was left for Johnny
but to lie down on the seat and cry as
hard rs he could He never thought, as
an older person would, that he could lift
the window and call to some one at any
station where the train stopped. Proba-
bly, he would not have known how to
open the window, for he had never trav.
eled much in his life. But, whatever he
might have done, all he did do was to lie
still on the seat and be very miserable,
and wish withal that be had staid at
home, like good boy. The conceit was
taken out of him now quite enough to sat
isfy Hiram. 1t seemed great while be-
fore the train stopped at Dibble; and even
when the car was uncoupled there and
the engine and milk-cars went their way
it still seemed an age to Johnny before a
brakeman came in to reverse the seats
and be much astonshed to find small
boy there all alone and crying too hard
to speak-for he was so glad to see some
body that the poor boy sobbed worse than
ever then. But at last the man made out
Johnny's name and where he came from;
for everybody on that road was used to
seeing Mr.. Blake 30 back and forth this
long time, and Johnny soon had some
bread and milk at the Dibble tavern and
was to be taken back on the excursion
train to HoXton at ten o'clock. There
was no telegraph office open at Dibble-
they were both shut up for the day; so
no word could be sent to mamma, and
under the conductors care this time, he
had to walk home alone-a very sheep
ish, sorry, dirty little fellow-and mann
ma was all but frightened to death about
twelve o'clock to see him come in at the
long window all by himself How glad
she was to see him! All Hiram said
was "What in thunder!" and then
he stopped as if he couldn't say
any more; perhaps the big words choked
him. Ann screamed, and Jerusha
put the dishcloth into her pocket,
and took "A boiled potato out of the cup
board and began To scour the pewter
platter with it; but she didn't say
thing Jerusha was queer. Nobody
could telegraph to Mr. Blake now till
night, for the office here was closed too
SO he came home the next day, in great
haste and distress, thinking Johnny was
lost. He was very glad, you may be
sure; but then he had long talk with
mamma, who cried little at first, but
had to say pretty soon that she really
was afraid Johnny needed something be
sides talking to before he could be
good boy-something to make him re-
member And think he always did re
member the whipping Of that night, for
nc ,viu uuum triat nv s"ooau,. .-~..
best-talking didn't leave an ache and
smart like that hickory rod; hut he was
a much better boy afterward. Mamma
always thought it was being run away
with by the cars. Hiram said he knew
it was the whipping don't certainly
know myself, but have my own ideas
about it. At least, Johnny never went
out again so very early to spend the
Fourth of July.-N y independent.