The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-09-20
HOW TOM RAN AWAY.
A Story for the Boys.


Thomas, for whom he was named, a
good man, who tried to be so kind and
indulgent to him that he would never
feel the loss of fathers love and pro-
lection. Tom was quite happy and con-
tented until Harry Ives came to live
with Deacon Bardwell, who was a near
neighbor of Mr.. Sanford. Harry was
all the time trying to make Tom dis
contented. He told him he had great
distance to drive the cows; that it was
too much for a boy like him, who was a
college professors son, to feed so many
pigs and calves; that he was not dress
ed so nicely as he should be when he
went to church; and that it was shame
full he was not allowed to go to the cir
cuses and minstrel shows in the neigh
boring city.
eff was in your place." said Har-
ry, 81 would run away and seek my
fortune. would just gather up all my
clothes and things that could get hold
of, tie them in little bundle, and run
away"
"Where should I go?' Tom inno-
Gently asked.
ooh! walk right along up the Pei
ham road, and when you feel hungry
stop and ask for something to eat at the
first house you come to. 1t won't DE
long, 1 tell you, before some one will
want to adopt you. So good-loOking
a boy as you are will nGver want friends.
l presume you could get into some rich
mans family, where they would adopt
you and treat you as you should be
treated. Come to think of it, | wouldn't
take my extra clothes. You would never
want to wear such old-fashisned ones.
They will nearly fit me, and | am only
good enough for a farm-boy any way.
They are as good as L need; so just give
them to me-
Harry talked ali this over and over,
until Tom really supposed that he was
very badly treated boy at his uncle's,
and that many pleasures and a great
fortune awaited him were he only to
''run away" So Tom made his ar
rangements with Harry, and just at
daybreak one lovely summer morning
the poor, misguided boy started off.
At o'clock his uncle got up, and,
going to the foot of the stairs leading to
Toms room, called out, in his CHEEKY
voice: "Come, Tommy, my boy, it's
time to be stirring" -am
"Tom is one boy out of thousand, :"
his uncle said to his wife, as he took up
the bright tin milk-pails and started for
cattle-yard. "He never needs calling
but once. Deacon Bardwell says it is a
good half-day's work to get that Har-
~ of his out of bed in the morning"
Half an hour afterwards Mr.. Sanford,
coming into the house, with the foam
ing pals of milk, said: Where is
Tom?"
"Hasn't he got up" asked Aunt
blulCC- liz lliuot bC III. LAhb WY
both ran up stairs to Toms room.
The bed was empty; but on the pillow
lay little piece of paper, on which
was written, in pencil:
DEAR UNCLE THOMAS AND AUNT EUNICE:
i have run away Tom.
Uncle Thomas looked at his wife, and
Aunt Eunice looked at her husband;
and, after the first touch of alarm they
felt on reading the laconic little note,
they both laughed.
"It's that Harry over ut the Dea-
cons" said Uncle Thomas. " He has
been hanging around Tom a good deal,
lately. You watch the cows little,
please, and see that they do not get into
the garden, and Tom and l will be back
by breakfast-time.n
Running downstairs, he went to a
back door, that was fastened by wood
button, and, finding the door ajar, he
looked out; and there were Toms
tracks running in narrow line through
the brimming dew of the grass, across
the orchard, to gate opening into the
road-that ''road to Pelham which the
meddling and evil-minded Harry had
advised the confiding boy to take.
Mr. Sanford went to the stable and
jumped upon his horse and followed
| Toms tracks. There had been no teams
along that early morning and the
poor runaway's footsteps were plainly
defined. First, under the stone fence
near the gate Mr.. Sanford discovered q
large sachel, containing the old-fashion-
ed clothes that Harry had persuaded the
unsuspicious boy to give to him. Over
in the adjoining field Harry's tell-tale
head was bobbing up from behind 6
fence, eagerly watching Mr.. Sanford:
movements, evidently on the way to Sc
cure the sachel. Mr.. Sanford said Moth
ing and hurried on his horse.
Tom had made pretty good progress
but after Mr.. Sanford had gone about
three miles, and had assembled a little
hill, he saw in the distance the little fig
ure, trudging on, hardly thinking thai
the folks at home who had so f" i'll treat.
ed'' him would 50 soon be upon his
tracks.
Presently Uncle Thomas had come
within speaking distance of him, and hi
shouted out pleasantly:
"Hallo! Tommy, my boy, you arr
stirring early. Where are you going?'
"I'm running away" answered Tom
foolishly.
"Indeed!" said Uncle Thomas
Have you any money!"
"Nc, sir"
"And haven't had any breakfast?''
"No, sir" sobbed Tom.
"Oh! well, Aunt Eunice will hav'
breakfast ready by the time we shall ge
home. Jump right in here, in front o
of me, and We'll have a fine gallol
home.n