River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-05-21
JOHN ALCSANDER'S MOONLIGHT FITTING
BY }. NJ. L.

AK down with vim worthy of better
cause.
For some time this young American OF
twelve years, had been getting up a new
Declaration of Independence, and had
darkly limited to his patient mother, that
it was his stern determination to become
"Rover on the high seas" He had not
climbed into the hay-mow, and read on the
sly-"Life before the mast, "The three
jolly Sailors" and "The Red Rover" for
nothing. One day, he demanded money
Of his father for a journey to Boston,
where he supposed any number Of sea
captains might be found 'shivering their
timbers" and blasting their eyes" for
Just such willing hands as he meant to be.
His father was surprised, and not a
little vexed at his sons new ambition, but
concluded to pay no attention to it, hop
ing that John Alexander would give up
all idea Of becoming sailor, and settle
down in time on the old homestead.
Two days had past since John Alexan-
der's request for money, and all had gone
on as usual excepting that Mrs. Baily had
tried her darling s appetite with apple fit
tiers, and found them to fail, for the first
| time in her experience, to serve as a
"balm for every woe." At the close
the third day, our hero chopped the
kindlings very fine made the above dec.
laration, and went 70 bed quite early~-his
confiding parents congratulated them.
selves, that the boy was all right again,
and blew out the candle at nine O'Clock,
firm in the belief that he would start for
school next morning in more contented
| frame of mind. 1t was bright moonlight
highs, and after all was still below, this
misguided boy crept quietly from his bed,
and gathering up his little stock of cloth.
ing, including his Sunday best, hastily
packed all inside the legs of his second
| best butternut trousers. tied the legs to-
gether, and after several Intellectual at
tempts succeeded in securing the big end.
This original portmanteau our young
hero tossed from the window, then taking
his shot gun in hand, he carefully climbed
out upon the branches Of the sweet apple
tree and silently slid to the ground, Then
inverting the well filled butternut trowsers
upon his gun stock he walked quickly out
of the yard, his heart beating so that he
thought his parents must hear it.
A few miles from Willow B was
a Lake port, and John Alexander plan
ned to walk there, never doubling, with
the blind confidence of ignorant boyhood,
that fortune awaited his arrival.
He reached the port, footsore and saw
full tired. besides being hungry and sleepy
but all the little runaways he had read
about showed a sublime Indifference to
hunger and fatigue.
lie tried to ask some of the sailors who
lounged on the wharf if they knew of any
Captain who wanted cabin boy, but the
men looked so rough and answered not at
all like his ideal sailor, that somehow the
words stuck in his throat. Ii was nine
O'Clock before he brought his courage up
to the asking point, and the man answered
roughly enough, but didn't ''shiver his
timbers," saying: "Whose runaway
brat are you! Yes, we want a cook $
boy. Can you wash dishes" lie ans
wered hesitatingly-he remembered the
only time he ever tried, and how, when
his mother got well, she said, ''you did
the best you could Johnny, dear" "John-
ny, dear" rememberd, too, that she had a
general clearing up, and washed all the
dishes over. So he said II thought
| didn't know but you'd want boy to
tar ropes, and 90 aloft in storm. !"
There's a greeny," said the captain of
the Water-Witch; "we'll take him
around with us to Toledo; ] guess he will
want to see his mother by that time"
John Alexander went into the cabin of
the Water itch and ate few mouth.
fulls of the coarse food set before him, re-
membering mothers doughnuts and cof-
fee, with queer, choking feeling in his
throat.
Presently the vessel started, and the
boy began his new work, wondering to
himself if his mother and father felt as
sorry about his running away from home
as he did.
The cook did not spin yarns as cooks
always do III books, but swore in a shock
ing manner, and the captain looked to
him like man who would enjoy nothing
better than throwing little boys over
board who displeased him. There came
up "sou'wester" about an hour before
they sailed into c., their first stop.
ping place. and John Alexander knew
from some disagreeable symptoms that
he was fast getting sea.sick. Sea-sickness
is had enough, but when boy is sea-
sick, and home sick, and sick Of himself
it's pretty hard case. When the YES
sci, after fitting this way and that, ar.
rived at the dock at last, j. A. quietly
gathered up his possessions, telling the
cook that he might get 'new dish
washer, never stopping to explain to
the captain that the RUNAWAY brat" was
going home, started out, not in search Of
new adventures, but 20 find the shortest
way to Willow B.
There was great CONSERVATION in the
farmhouse when the boys fight was dis.
covered. His mother was sure that she
should never see the dear child again, and
cried bitterly. Mr.. Baily, however he
nigh. have felt his child's desertion, was
disposed TO treat The matter lightly, say.
ing "Mother, don't worry the lad is
self.wiled and needs lesson. think he
will come out all right, for he is honest,
] trust me; know boys ways"