The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-03-15
How Charlie Ran Away.

sIdeclare,it's too mean for anything,
mamma" said Charlie, angrily, his
forehead knit into q thousand cross
little wrinkles. eff I can't do like
other boys, I'll just runaway alto
gether."'5 =
His. mother looked very sorrowful,
for Charlie was her only boy, and his
naughtiness sent sharp pain through
her heart. He was only nine years
old. but of late had become SO head.
strong and willful that he was almost
beyond her control, and that threat of
running away had been oft repeated.
That night she went to sleep, and a
sudden idea came into her mind. It
was a very curious plan by which she
hoped to cure Charlie of his willful
ways.
The next afternoon her boy came
rushing in after school, dashed his
books down, and was rushing of again,
when his mother called him back.
"Where are you going, Charlie 60
"Only out for a row on the pond,
with Jack, mother; I'll be back by
tea time
but it's beginning to rain, laid your
throat is still sore, my son. Suppose
you ask Jack to come in and take tea
with you instead. I'm afraid to have
you go while it is so Damp
Charley's face flushed angrily. He
threw his cap down and muttered:
"No, I won't have him come at all :!
It's shame I'm 50 tied down. I've
mind to run away, have so.''
His mother did not speak for min
ute, then she said quietly, but very
firmly: ''You cannot 60 out again to-
night, my son."
Charley went to his play-room very
sulkily. At tea he did not say a word,
and after tea he studied his lessons
gloomily, without the usual bright
questions and talks with his mother.
He rose to go bed, but his mother call
ed him back.
"Charley, she said gravely taking his
deal lately about running away, and
now l think that, as you don't seem
very happy at home, perhaps you had
better go. So I've told Charlotte to
have an early breakfast so that you
can start at seven, and I'll tie up some
clothes in bundle for you. You can
take your fathers knotted cane, and
Charlotte will give you some cold bis
cults to put in your pocket. I'll call
you at half-past six
Charlie could hardly believe his
ears. Was his mother in earnest F.?
That wasn't the way boys ran away
lie felt very tight and queer in the
throat, but he was too proud to cry, 50
he only muttered in shaky voice :
"Very we'll, I'll be up in time,' and
went to bed. She called him back to
put his school books in the closet, as
he wouldn't need them any more.
This was almost too much, but the
child obeyed without word, and then
went slowly upstairs.
That night bis mother lay awake
many hours, full of anxious fears as
to the result of her experiment.
Charlie felt very sober about the pros.
pect for the next day, but it was too
late now to retreat, and he determined
not to give in. Nevertheless, he was
sound asleep when his mother
came to give the forgotten
goodnight kiss. She saw the mark of
tears on his face, and her heart grew
little lighter.
Charlie was up early in the morning,
long before his mother called him. 1t
was a cloudy, chilly day, and the
warm breakfast would have tasted
very good, if he had thought about it,
but he never could tell what he ate
that day. When it was over his moth
.er said in very commonplace way
snow, my son, you had better be
o%o ~ scJ
up in this bundle and have put some
OF Charlotte's soda.biscuits in with
them. Goodbye. and be a good boy,
wherever you co.
They were on the front steps. His
mother kissed him very affectionately,
exactly us ii he was going on a long
journey, watching him go down the
steps, and then went in and closed the
door, and Charlie was left to 20 his
way alone.
He walked very slowly down the
street to the corner, stopped there,
and looked up and down. 1t was early,
and nobody seemed in sight. A great
feeling of loneliness and longing for
dear loved home came over Char.
lie, and he would have given worlds
to be back again in the warm sitting.
room, looking over his lessons before
school. He turned the corner and
walked a block, then turned once
more and went slowly along, his head
down, and feeling of entire forlorn'
ness, getting worse and worse all the
time. What was his mother doing
now? Washing up the glass, no doubt
he hoped they would not forget to feed
Billy. the little Scotch terrier. All
he would probably never see Billy
again!
just then Charles came plump
against fat black woman carrying a
pitcher of milk. lie looked up and
exclaimed:
"Why, Charlotte!'
''Why Master Charles!" said Char
lotte, who had slipped out of the back
door just when our boy left the front
steps. and had never lost sight of him
for single moment.
80, Charlotte" repeated Charlie
bursting into tears and seizing he1
hands, regardless of the milk pitcher
which, fortunately, was empty, ''dc
you think mamma will ever take me
back again!''
"Just try, honey; I'd 60 and ask
her right away" said good Charlotte
her own eyes rather misty.
Charles mother was sitting by hel
work table, when she felt two arms
around her neck,a face wet with tears
against her own, and voice, choked
with sobs, said:
80 mother, if you'll only forgive
me, and take me back, I'll never want
to run away again-never!'