The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-04-08

Will Ills COE'pCl-LoCu ollOCS.
eli, Dick" !" he called out.
"IIi!" replied the little Tom-boy
"You're late," said Joe.
"I amt" said she, with q littl
tremor Of horror in her voice. r
be "late" was a prime otfense, il
her teachers eyes.
"You are, though" replied Joe
"so'm I, but 1 amt a-going to ge
a lickin'. I'm a-going to play hoo
key; but you daresn't? you're to-
much of gall
"Oh, coward !" said Dick, scorn
fully, "to stay in the middle of th'
street,"
81 amt so much of a coward al
you are," said he; ''for I dares
play hockey, and you daresn't!"
"Pooh!" said foolish Dick, "
amt afraid"
Just then they saw a lot of mer
and boys running down a cross
street, about a block away.
"Where all zem boys going?'
demanded Dick.
Joe deeming peace. to be firmly
established, now came up to tho
sidewalk; Joe was eight and had
a very frowsy head. ''I'll tell yor
what I think, Dick" he answered
"I think they're going to a fire
and let us go too! I've never beer
to a fire in all my life.'
'tNor l." said Dick.
| So they took hold of hands, ane
started off down the street at sucf
a pace, that big boy, sitting dowr
in the shade of a fence at the cor
ner of the street, said, "Phew
race horse!'' When they got tt
the corner of the street, the mel
and boys were a long way ahead
but they were not to be daunted
and kept on in hot pursuit; away
they went, keeping hold OF hands
so as to run faster, up one street
down another, and across a third
dcdging under the heads of the
horses and running into such dan.
gers as would have made their
mothers hearts turn sick with ter.
ror if they could have seen them:
And after all, the crowd melted
away, and they couldn' tell where
the fire was, or if there had been
any; and they were so warm, that
they had to sit down on two OF
three shop door sills to rest; and
to their surprise found that the
shop-keepers didn't like it, and told
them to 60 away, CIR they "would
put a head on them"
"NNhat street is this, Joe % asked
Dick; she began to suspect that
she was a long way from her quiet
home.
81 don't know" replied Joe
"I'!l ask this man."
lie did ask him, but the man
walked on without answering; then
he asked another, and then another
but nobody paid any attention to
him, and poor little Joe, though
he was a boy, and eight years old,
and so very brave about playing
hockey, began to cry.
"Don't!" said Dick, who felt not
the least fear, "I'll ask somebody
myself :,
She walked up to a very tall,
very grand lady, and looking up
with her bright, brave eyes, she
said:
"Would you please be SO kind as
to tell me what street this ~
The lady stopped and smiled
somehow the very grand look went
out of her face as she bent her
head and looked down into the
little Tom-boy's face.
"This is Kearney street, DEAR,
"This is Kearney street, dear"
she said care you here all alone? ?
ooh, no, marm! Joe is here
too; we've both runned away and
played hockey"
The lady looked astonished, as
we'll she might, at this frank con
fession, and began to ask Dick he'
name, and where she lived; she
finally drew out her purse and gave
her two street-car tickets. "Yor
go down to this next street, sht
said, land get into the car, and tel
the conductor where you live, ano
he'll let you out at the neares
street, and then you will be al
right; you and the little boy cal
find your way then, I guess.
"Thank you, marm; I'm yer.
much obliged," answered DICK
politely; whercupon the lad,
laughed, and pattcd her check, AM
walked on.
."Comc, Joe," said the little girl
"don't cry; babies cry; I've go
some car tickets, and we're goln;
Ihome noW."
This news seemed to cheer u
, poor Joe, for he wiped his eyes O
the sleeve of his jacket, and IA
along with Dick as though he ha
perfect confidence in her ability t
carry him home.
:; All would have gone well, now