Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1875-03-04
A Discouraged Boy.

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Crabapple's boy nad read that touch.
ing Thanksgiving story about the chap
who ran away from home when boy
and went to sea and was not heard of
for years and years; and how every
Thanksgiving day the mother sat a
plate for the wanderer, and kept O seat
for him at the table, and how the gray
haired sire, when he offered blessing,
prayed for his wayward son-prayed
that he might return in safety to the
paternal roof. III,
And then one Thanksgiving day, when
they had diaooat given him up for dead,
although the plate and vacant chair told
the story of n mothers undying hope1.
Just as the family had sat down to- the
Thanksgiving dinner, there came a rap
at tile door. I" Come In /" cried the
SIRE, and in bounded the boy in sailor
jacket and o tarpaulin hat just home
from whaling voyage. Such rejoicing
as there was ingthnt honse.9 How his
father shook both his hands, and how
his mother wept over him and embraced
him, and how all the brothers and sis.
tors aunts and cousins hung around
his neck and tugged at his sailor jacket.
1t was worth Drawing the dangers of
the sea to meet with such welcome on
his RETURN lie sat ct. the feast in the
chair that mothers deathless love,
and hope, and recollection had always
placed for him, and never was there q
happier Thanksgiving since that cher
ished anniversary was invented.
Crabapple's boy wept over that story
every time he read it, and he got to
wondering whether such fuss would
be made over him should he run away
from home and then turn up again
some Thanksgiving day.
He thought about it SO much that he
finally determined to test the business.
anyhow He would see how the people
wonld act when he played the prodi-
gals return. 30 about q week from
thanksgiving he ran away from ilOu1u.
He didn't go to sea, because the sea
was too far off, and he couIdn't make
much OF voyage in week anyhow.
He got job in lanyard, grinding
barkS which answered ali the purposes.
for he could imagine his "bark was on
tho sea-" as he rode the old horse
around the circle. He called the mill
the world, and imagined himself sailing
around the world at every revolution.
With n beating heart he approached
the paternal mansion. He locked in Mt
the window and saw the folks Just sit.
ting downto the Thanksgiying supper.
a chill of disappointment crept over
him as he saw there was no vacant ,al,,lliv,
and there wasn't an idla-iulate y = =
table, He Listened ..S the door as the
blessing was asked, but although several
prophets were honorcd with q tlattering
notice, his name wasn't mentioned,
This was q little hard on the boy who
had Fun away from home and was liable
to turn up on that or any succeeding
Thanksgiving day.
Racollections of him didn't seem to
cluster around the hearthstone to any
verySgreat extent.
depressing chilling foreboding that
arose in his breast, he flung open the
door, rushed into their midst and ex-
claimed" Gather mother tits 7,
Sammy Crabapple home again home!
home j. and tnen threw himself on his
fathers breast, .sobbing convulsively.
What didothat father do? Did he hug
him and sob tears over him, md call
him his long lost bo-bo-boy Not
much. He took him by the collar, led
him into the wood shed and worked
over linn more than an hour with bar
rcl-stave,s his brolhers and sisters dane.
ing around ON the back stoop in an
ccstacy of delight, while his mother
screamed, "That's right, Ambus; give
it TO him ! Learn him better'n to ran
away from home again !"
Then he was sent to bed without any
Thanksgiving supper ut all, and threat
ened with being deprived Of both Christ.
mas and New Years dinners.