The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-06-06


broker mad. He couldn't cat bis dinner
in peace. He was told that che
should be seen and not heard; :" but when.
in accordance with the desires of his
family, he reduced himselfto mere spec
tacle by upset,ing the cranberry sauce
over his entire length, they resented the
very sight of him.
Il Gait do nothing" howled Andy,
sent to his room in disgrace, "they won't
let me play with the boys, nor even look
at the girls, nor eat when I'm hungry
nor nothing! This is mean old world.
III run away and 60 to seal" With boys
resolution and action are twin brothers.
Andy girded himself to dodge down.
stairs the moment he could elude his Wig
liant parents.
And, as he meant to run away in good
style and according to the letter of story
books, he felt it incumbent upon him to
write a letter of farewell to his family.
Now Andy had once been constrained to
write an epistle Of duty to the unfortunate
gentleman who had stood godfather to
him at his christening, on which occa-
sion he had recourse to an old letter. book
in his fathers library. So he now fiat
tered himself he was equal to heart
rending testament and, finding stumpy
pencil, he sat down and wrote, fragments
of the letter. book floating in his mind.
Three-quarters of an hour he spent
upon his work, which, heing finished, he
placed under the lid Of the Bible he had
received for cramming 5000 verses when
his head was younger and tenderer
Andy pictured to himself. with grim
pleasure, his weeping household stand
ing around its head, who would, between
many sobs, read the following note:
Dear Pairents: hay run ava and you wont
never set me no More you hav bin very Harsch
and tirannicle when am of making Mummy praps
you will repent thy undutiful conduck.
So no more the girls may have my toise. Your
obedyent servant Andrew jackson perkins,
Before the evening gas was lighted he
struck out and attempted to set his face
seaward. But Andy's geographical knowl-
edge was limited; he wished he had con-
suited map before he started, for he
knew not which way to turn. He, more
over, regretted sincerely not having filled
his pockets with cookies. It was No.
vember night, and Andy hadn't been al
lowed to partake Of the evening repast.
He will remember that night. think
I see the dear boy wandering up and
down, blowing bravely on his red fingers,
watching the faring gas jets, putting a
fist into his eye occasionally, He saw
life that night
1t did not appear he could realize his
"munny' Immediately. Before ten the
boy spirit was cooled. lie stole back to
his fathers door, but had not courage to
ring. Then he wondered how he could
stand it out all night. Here and there
rambled Andy.
He stood in the shadow of the doorway
(evading policeman) of the house where
Miss May lived. Miss May was young
lady whom he specially admired He
felt strong desire to see her that even
ing.
And as he stood, crying silently, like a
little soldier, because he was so cold he
could hardly stand it, the door opened and
a gentleman emerged whom Miss May
bade a lingering and really aftectionate
good light.
She stood an instant watching her lover
before she closed the door, and in this in
stant Andy exploded with big sob.
After screaming, as all orthodox young
ladies do, Miss May recovered herself and
drew the child in.
Here is sacred picture in Andy's life
He will never tell anyone how happy he
was one hour, sitting in the heart of a
warm room at Miss Mays feet, taking his
supper and unloading his heart to her
She was woman who loved and under
stood boys; their brusquerie, their heavy
antics, their overplus of spirits never
made her nervous" She had helped to
bring up several boys creditably and JOY
ously, and was now about to try her hand
on somebody else's brother.
If they'd only let Inc be-" stuffing un-
tE1f for h r
can do nothing!"
which Andy, in gush of confidence,
yielded 10 her your sturdiest boys have a
sneaking fondncss tor being pettedD, and
within herself" Why is it that parents
will drive these baby.men desperate; that
teachers will try to cram them-wiii sit
on the safety-valve of their natures wish
had all the boys! I'd make boys par
adise! They should walk on their ears
if they wanted, but they should likewise
should live their honest, joyous hearts
out; and never learn to sneak, TO lie, to
whine, to cant, to ape Miss Nancy, to sac
ri1ce their sense Of right and wrong to the
mere pleasing Of some other person! Oh,
ID
And here the proverb about maids
children and bachelors wives came into
| her mind. She laughed aloud and
stopped to kiss Andy. It was such a
hearty, wholesome kiss that he took it
without sheep.facedness.
1t was decided that, as his parents be-
lieved him asleep in his own bower, they
should not be notified OF his running
away, and that night Andy slept in Miss
Mays house.
Early next morning he laid hand on
the note which was to have fallen like a
thunderbolt on his people and sent it to
oblivion. He walked as circumspectly
as Andy could. But Micawber-like fit
of letter-writing seemed to have seized
him. Though he could fly to his com
forter when trouble lowered, and though
she never denied him a personal inter.
view, Andy sought pen, with which he
hacked the English language and split
ink like black gore upon a large cap
! sheet.
His honest little heart spouted forth to
the one who appreciated and helped him
Dear Miss May: dideat get licked all day and
| had my ioggerfy just hokey good touched my
| cap to old mis- pease and mama eed that looked
| better than runnin over her like always did
love yon if goin to get married wood marry you.
your Obedyent servent
Andrew jackson perkins.
-Locke's National Month1y.
AS THE steamer Alexander Mitchell
was putting off freight at Alma, Wis, a
keg Of wine fell into the river. The mate
insisted upon one of the deck hands, a