The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-21
A SMALL BOY,S ADVESTUREs
A journey on his Own Hook. and n Chilly
Escape from the TruRnts' Home.

Escnpe from the TruRnts' Ii omo.
John Whalen, one of the four boys who
escaped from the rruants' Home in Brooklyn on
Saturday night, a chubby faced and not vicious
looking lad, L. years old, told the story of bis
recent adventures as he sat In the parlor Of tho
Home. In August last as he says, he quit his
parents homo IN Greenpoint, and crossing 10
New York, he hired out to a canal boat captain
whose craft lay In Peck sllp. He sailed by the
schuylklll Canal, and a week or two later ar
rived In Philadelphia. He had become tired Of
bis brutal treatment by the captain. wuo refused
to paw him his wages. The boy was alone, with
out friends or money, and as he wished to ro-
turn TO New York, no determined to walk back
over the railroad He begged his meals OF the
farmers and silent at night in barns. At length
he reached the jersey ferry, and gentleman
paid for bis passage 10 New Y fork. For a week
or two he stood around tho stalls In wash
ington Market, and carried pals and bundles.
Then he became newsboy and lodged In the
Newsboy-' Lodging House. Not liklng this, he
hired out to a blind peddler OF lead pencils. who
gave him 81 week and made 81 day himself.
The blind man had regular customers IN New
Jersey, New York, Brooklyn, ana many other
cities Of Long Island. lie was a very kind
man." said llttle Johnny Whalen. and oil the
boys said that he WAS the best blind man In the
business Then thought would go home,
but my father told me that / couldn't
ION Ho@e. '"I MT t' DIDN'T @ IKE staTns @ uSers SeTs
and two weeks ago began to get thin ready
TO leave hai been shut up forever month.
and ! thought that was long enough. There
abou. fifty boys that sle p In the big room
on the third floor, and John Neil sleeps next to
me. told Jonn ! was going, and we laid low
aud only told John Wild and one other boy
We had 70 Keep pretty quiet, you see. for our
teacher slcpt IN NE next room. we got up very
still about IL o'clock on SATURDAY. ni,ht, and
John Nell tied eleven sneets together for a rope
which would reach 10 the ground. We didn't
have no clothes 10 nut on, for they lock them
up at night 40 we won't want TO run away.
There are bars TO The windows that reach way
ond OF the sheets 10 the tor bar and let the rope
down to the ground. Then we pulled down the
top sh and ! lit out. 1t was pretty hard wol X,
for had TO slide down from one knot t. the
other, and every time came TO a window had
to stop and rest. As soon as got outside then
followed. We were all on the rope nt the same
time, and none Of us had anything on
but his shirt. Three OF us got down TO
the ground all right, but the last boy
got excited In the dark and ho fell down
from about the second story. He was consider
ably hurt on his side, but he got up, and though
u was mighty cold with nothing on, we started
down the road. IL got 40 cold at last and the
frozen GROUND cut our feet so that we couldn't
stand II, ana we crawed into an Old room In the
second toll-cate house. We Lid down on the
door IN one corner, and cuddled up together
aud tried To 90 20 sleep, but We couldn't; and
~ we lny awake all night talking about what to
do. We finally agreed thatwe couldn't get away,
for n any one should see us they would take
us back. SO SAYS, Boys, IT'S no use we might
as wen give IL up hen IL was morning we
went out and crossing lot when n title
girl sees us and says, Boys, come In and get
warm : ana we went in, and there we were
caught The policeman took us TO the Home,
and whenwe got there II was SUNDAY school and
they took us in. Our feet and legs were both
frozen"
The boys frequently wrench on tho braces
that strengthen their beds" said the proprietor
Of tho Home, Mr.. Demarest, and use them to
pry on the tastenincs OF the windows SO that
they can let down sheet fOpes. Then they run
away aud when they W mt to get some other boy
away from the Home they tell horrible tales
about tortures that they had been subjected u, ,
and the boy Is taken out by his parents"