Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-03-19
CHAPTER 1.-THE Boy.

CHAPTER 1.-THE Boy,
He was one ofthat kind of boys who need
good whipping about twice per week, but
who think they ought not to be whipped
more than once in two years. His amuse-
ment was sliding down hill on nothing,
bluffing some boys, and preparing Cayenne
pepper lozenges for unsuspecting cats. He
was often heard to remark:
"Things has got TO git upn howl when
Leondas is around"
CHAPTER II-AT TWILIGHT.
Time, sundown-scene, the interior of
well-preserved woodshed, The sound of
blows and cries rent the solemn stiffness
of twilighrs mystic hour, and the old man
was heard saying:
"There, guess that'll last you for a day
or twoi I've put up with your sass as long
AZ canr'
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 mediate.
CHAPTER I1.-A BLOODY RESOLVE.
"Thars the last licking I'll ever take
from any mortal manp' whispered the
lad, shaking his fist at the kitchen door.
"And I'll make the old man sorry that he
ever laid a strap over his only sonr'
lie 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, passed up stairs,
and was soon engaged in making up bum
die, consisting OF one pair of patched pants,
one photograph Of his girl, one jsck-knife,
one cotton sock, and a few walnuts. The
bundle was thrown out OF the window, and
then
CHAPTER Iv.-LEoNIDAs LOOKS AROUND
the room ior the last time. The bedstead
looked familiar, the old blue chest In the
corner had a thousand tender memories
connected with it, and the brok n-down
chair seemed TO hold out Its arms and
plead for him to stay.
81 would If the old man hadn't licked
me-" answered Leonidas "but I'll show
him what kind of coffee mill I amir
He passed down stairs, and halted to en-
brace 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 stay
here, but I'm too old to be lickedr
And he passed out OF doors, and the
| great wide world was before him.
CHAPTER v.-soLEMN THOUGHTS.
Securing his bundle, Leonidas crept in.
TO the back yard to see If it was really best
| for him 10 become pirate. The polar
wave chewed at his ears and Redeemed hi.
nose, and he wondered if the pirate bust
ness wasn't pretty cold business. He didn
know whether 1t was best to make fol
Toledo or Chicago in order to become {
buccaneer, but he finally passed through
the gate. He walked around the hous,
several times TO catch a glimpse of hi
mother. 1t was hard 10 tear himself away
He knew how she would take ON the mex
day, and the papers would call 1t anothe
Charlie Ross case, and he decided to go In
TO the yard and think 1t over again.
| CHAPTER VIA RAY OF LIGHT.
Afler little time spent in thought, Leoni
das decided that If his father woult
agree never TO lick him again, and woulC
give him two dollars per week to buy candy
he would not run away and become q pi
rate. He would go In aud make the propo
sition TO the old man, and II 1t should b
rejected-farewell to home-welcome a ca
reer of blood.
He went in. No one had noticed his alb
sence, and each face looked as natural as
he hadn't been gone twenty-eight minutes
He felt some little delicacy about broach
ing the proposition, and, as "feeler," h
asked the old man to lend him his knife
1t was handed to him and returned AFTER
while, and Leonidas decided to put Of
making the proposition until morning. II
got into his little bed feeling that 1t wa
positively his last night, but the next fore
noon he was heard splitting wood in th
back yard and saying to Jack Sparkling:
"I've concluded to wait until he lick
me just once more, and then nothing ca
stop me-nothing on earth.-Detroit Ere
, Press