River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-01-04


stPlease, sir, II said ''wot are You 60
ing to do? I'll tell my father. Wot
do you make such nice boy as am
do such queer jobs for Wot lis the use
OF a boys being nice boy unless he
can do as he pleases
s.You nice boy" said the old man.
with feigned aniaZement, s'why, You re
the worst boy ever saw" Thereup-
on, without unnecessary delay, iie gave
me severe drubbing and sent me
down stairs to keep the other boy COM
pany. did not hesitate to approach
the latter individual with suggestions
of a practical nature. All resentment
was washed away in the pillows OF our
4 common glief.
"Where's your old cannon q said 7,
coming to the point at once. df
os'Are you bound to take your ven
4 geanee g. inquired the boy, cautiously
thrusting his hand into his pocket. All
81 am, | answered with stern de-
4 termination, ''we'H load the cannon
full of powder and stones, and tie it to
a brick, and stick it on the post out
side of the door, and make a fiZgig and
i fire it through the window at the old
man when he goes to shut up shop"
Although my companion was the
happy proprietor of the ordnance, and
also enjoyed the ecstasy arising from
the consciousness that his pockets
were full of loose powder and match
es, besides, yet the bI tlliant operation
proposed by me never. seemed to have
struck him. He was delighted with
it, and we carried out our program
pretty fully, waiting till 8 O'Clock to
do so. 9A1 ta 1
About that time Mr.. Macdonald's at
tention was attracted by an appearance
! resembling small volcano on the post
outside his door. That appearance was
caused by the burning of my "fiZgig."
Hardly had the old man opened the
door when a tremendous explosion
startled him out of his wits, while the
stones from the cannon smashed sever
al of his windows. Then all was silent
all save the hurrying to and fro of
startled pedestrians, and the spasmod-
ic shouts of s.Po-lice," s'Po-lice,"
which proceeded from the lungs Of
James Macdonald. Luckily, Severn
street was a mo thoroughfare street,
on which there was little travels sc. no
horses were. frightened. - 80
| I am sure we were glad Of this as. we
walked unconcernedly down St. Johns
road, looking like nice, innocent boys,
as we were And / should be still
more glad if / had not the worst part
Of my Story to. tell. But I had made a
previous agreement with the other
boys to recover the cannon, if possible,
after the old man S shop was shut up.
| With this important end in view,
/ ora,Nf cInr1,Iy ny axra,-,1 cfr.nat Oh
hour after the explosion. The brick
md the cannon were on the post. All
seemed still as the grave; no light was
| to be seen. But just as | laid my hand
upoL the cannon, heavy hand was
laid on me, which subsequent events
proved to be the hand of Mr.. Macdon-
aid. He dragged me playfully into the
house he struck me atfectionately on
my limbs. and back and face with a
heavy care he kicked me enthusiast
tically as he dragged me UP stairs my
| hands and face were bleeding when he
thrust me into tire kitchen. The old
woman was there, the old man S strap
in her hands. She struck mo furious
ly with the buckle md; my thumb
was broken it is stiff to this day.
They thrashed me till they were tired,
and commenced again. They went be-
yond all reason; they had no mercy
they were devils, both of them, and
| had been all their lives. They would
have killed me, but Il workman ran UP
4 stairs and interfered for me.
"Very weH,' said the old man, as |
crouched, trembling, in the corner,
''we will whip him no more tonight,
but we'll keep him till morning, and
see whether his father viii rather
have him whipped or sent toprison.'
Saying which, the old man took me
by the collar and dragged me up stairs.
Thrusting me into a dismal, unfurn-
ished garnet, he locked the door and
said - ''st
81 hope the devil viii run away with
you before morning, 7 and left. E
s'Little caredfor the devils orgobllns
then; | boiled and foamed with re-
vengeful fury;I paced the floor and
wrung my hands and prayed that the
building might fall; cursed myself
because | was powerless to torture
them 20 death, little by little. |
nursed my fury full two hours, when
| heard voice N the room belOw-the
old mans bedroom. 4
cit was foolish, said the old
woman. l.s-s,.
"Why 2" inquired my master.
"Because the boy ghthave match
es and burn us up alive"
''He would burn himself up, too,
replied my master.
"Perhaps not" said She, 'the scut-
tie is not fastened, and he could slide
down the gutter-pipe. vat Uen "a
f''IIe is too great a coward for that,
said the old man, and that was all
heard and all l wanted to hear. had
a match.
saatEs 80 r. = e*U
About two hours after the CONVEX
! LLi.n.r ~.