The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-03-11
DETERMINED TO BE A PIRATE.
Result of PatcrnaI Discipline on n Detroit
Boy---Angry Thoughts in Woodshcd---A
Fond Farewell ull Around.
CHAPTER 1.-THE BOY.

CHAPTER 1.-THE BOY.
He was one of that kind of boys who
need q 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, blufing some boys, and pre-
pairing Cayenne pepper lozenges for un-
suspecting cats. He was often heard to
remark:
"Things had got to git up N howl
when Leonidas is around"
CHAPTER u.-AT TWILIGHT.
Time, sundown-scene, the interior of
a well-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, 1 guess that'll last you for a
day or twol I've put up with your sass
as long as can ~
No reply-nothing but deep-drawn
sobs and quavering sighs.
The old man threw away the strap
and walked into the house, and Leonidas
sat on the corner of an old table to medi-
tate.
CHAPTER u.--A BLOODY RESOLVE.
"That's the last licking I'll ever take
from any mortal man !" whispered the
lad, shaking his fist at the kitchen door.
"And I'll make the old man sorry that
he ever laid q strap over his only son !"
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 Leonidas to resolve was
to execute. He entered the house, pass
cd up stairs, and was soon engaged in
making up q bundle, consisting of one
pair of patched pants, one photograph of
his girl, one jack-knife, one cotton sock,
and few walnuts. The bundle was
thrown out of the window, and then
the room for the last time. The bedstead
looked familiar, the old blue chest in the
corner had thousand tender memories
connected with it, and the broken-down
chair seemed to hold out its arms and
plead for him to stay.
"I would if the old man hadn't lick
ed me-" answered Leonidas; "but I'll
show him what kind of coffee mill L
am -
He passed down stairs, and halted to
embrace the baby. He wasn't down on
his mother, and he gave her a sweet
smile. He crawled in behind the stove,
and whispered to the dog:
"Good. bye, old Samson. I'd like to
stay here, but I'm too old to be licked !"
And he passed out of doors, and
the great wide world was before him.
CHAPTER v.-SOLEMN THOUGHTS.
Securing his bundle, Leonidas 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 busi-
ness. He didn't know whether it was
best to make for Toledo or Chicago in
order to become q buccaneer, but he
finally passed through the gate. He
walked around the house several times
to catch glimpse of his mother. 1t
was hard to tear himself away. He
| knew how she would take on next day,
and the papers would call it another
| Charlie Ross case, and he decided to go
into the yard and think it over again.
CHAPTER VIA RAY OF LIGHT.
After a little time spent in thought,
Leonidas decided that if his father
would agree never to lick him again, and
would give him So per week to buy
candy, he would not run away and be
come pirate. He would go in aul
make the proposition to the old man.
and if it should be rejected farewell tc
home-welcome career of blood.
He went in. No one had noticed his
absence, and every face looked as nat
ural as if he hadn't been gone twenty.
eight minutes. He felt some little
delicacy about broaching the PROPOSE
ton, and, as "feeler," he asked the
old man to lend him his knife. 1t wa!
handed to him and returned after {
while, and Leonidas decided to put of
making the proposition until morning
He got into his little bed feeling that j
was positively his last night, but til,
next forenoon he was heard splitting
wood in the back yard and saying t
Jack Sparkling:
"I've concluded to wait until he lick
me just once more, and then nothing
can stop me-nothing on earth. DE
trOH Free Press.