Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-02-25
How a Detroit Boy Turned Pirate.
CHAPTER 1.-THE Roy

He was one of that kind of boys who
need a good whipping about twice per
week, but who think they ought not to
be whipped more than once in two years.
His amusement was sliding down hill on
nothing, bluffing some boys, and prepar-
ing cayenne pepper lozenges for I'M
suspecting cats. He was often heard TO
remark:
Things has got to git up n howl
when Leonidus is aroundw
CHAPTER Hat TWILIGHT
Time, sundown-scene, the interior of
we'll preserved woodshed. The sound
of blows and cries rent the solemn still
ness of twilight's mystic hour, and the
old man was heard saying:
There, I guess that'll lastyou for day
or two! I've put up with your sass as
long as | cant"
No reply-nothing but deep-drawn
sobs and quavering signs.
The old man threw away the strap and
walked into the house, and Leonidus sat
on the corner of an old table to mediate
CHAPTER III.---A BLOODY RESOLVE.
"That's the last licking I'll ever take
from any mortal MANI whispered the
lad, shaking his fist at the kitchen door.
And I'll make the old man sorry that
he ever laid strap over his only SOM
He resolved to run away and become
a pirate! He would sail the raging main,
revel in murder, acquire ducats, and
then come home and take revenge on
his father With Leonidus to resolve
was to execute. He entered the house,
passed upstairs and was soon engaged
in making up bundle, consisting of
one pair of patched pants, one photo
graph of his girl, one i1ck-knife, one
cotton sock and few walnuts The
bundle was thrown out of the window,
and then
CHAPTER IV.-LEONIDUS LOOKS AROUND
the room for the last time. The bed
stead looked familiar the old blue chest
in the corner had a thousand tender
memories connected with it, and the
broken-down chair seemed to hold out
it's arms and plead for him to stay.
81 would if the old man hadn't licked
me" answered Leonidus; but I'll show
him what kind of coffee-mill | ami"
He passed downstairs and halted TO
embrace the baby. He wasn't down on
| his mother, and he gave her sweet
| smile. He crawled in behind the stove
and whispered to the dog:
"Good-by, old Samson. I'd like to
Ie+o l. "a i ~
| And he passed out of doors and the
| great wide world was before him.
CHAPTER v.-soLEMN THOUGHTS.
Securing his bundle Leonidus crept
into the back yard to see if it was really
| best for him to become pirate. The
polar wave chewed at his ears and red
| dened his nose, and he wondered if the
pirate business wasn't pretty cold bust
ness. He didn't know whether it was
| best to make for Toledo or Chicago in
order to become a buccaneer, but he
finally passed through the gate He
walked around the house several times
to catch glimpse of his mother It was
hard to tear himself away. He knew
how she would take on next day and how
the papers would call it another Charley
| Ross case, and he decided to go into the
yard and think it over again.
| CHAPTER VIA RAY OF LIGHT.
After little time spent in thought
| Leonidus decided that if his father would
agree never to lick him again, and would
| give him two dollars per week to buy
candy, he would not run away and be
come pirate. He would go in and make
the proposition to the old man, and if it
should be ejected-farewell to home
welcome a career of blood.
He went in. No one had noticed his
absence, and each face looked as natural
as if he hadn't been gone twenty Eight
minutes. He felt some little delicacy
about broaching the proposition, and as a
" feeler" he asked the old man to lend
him his knife. 1t was handed to him and
returned after awhile, and Leonidus de-
cided to put off making the proposition
until morning. He got into his little bed
feeling that it was positively his last
night, but the next forenoon he was
heard splitting wood in the back yard
and saying to Jack Sparkling:
Give concluded to wait until he ticks
me just once more, and then nothing can
| stop me-Iothing on earth "-DetrO51
Free Press.