The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-12-28
Bobby Fenner's Troubles.

DODDy was tLlFteoiI years oIu tiiu
lived in little seaside village with his
father and mother. He was well
grown, rather pale looking lad, with
very nice face-that is, face which
looked gentle, honest and sincere, with
no lines of evil passion or cunning be-
ginning to stamp themselves upon it.
Whether Bobby Fenner's face could
be called handsome or not j cannot tell.
| think not; but it certainly looked kind
and truthful, and his clear gray eyes
looked out at one without boldness and
without shame.
Bobby's father was a sailor, and, con-
sequently, he was left alone with his
mother. Once the father was absent
four years, and they sometimes could
not hear from him for months together,
and what the poor mother would then
have done but for Bobby, know not.
A great help and comfort it was to her
doing all he could for her in the
house before and between school times,
and always ready to stay in and be her
companion when she wished it. In the
evenings he would prepare his lessons
and then amuse himself with his books
and maps flor his father had once
brought him home nice atlas), his box
of paints his attempts at carpentering,
or any other simple amusement
am not going to praise Bobby for
his cleverness, for, perhaps on account
of his parents frequent change of resi-
dence, he was much lower in the school
than many boys of his age. Still his
teachers always likedhim and spoke well
of him they said he was attentive,
painstaking and obedient, and you have
often heard that those qualities will, in
the long run, often do more for a boy
than mere cleverness without them.
From what / have told you Of Mrs.
Fenner's circumstances you can under
stand how it was that Bobby did not as
sociate very much with the other lads of
the village. His mother did not care
for him to do so, for there were many
rough and rude and ill-disposed boys in
the vicinity, whose parents did not seem
to mind what sort of boys theirs were
becoming SO long as they were not a
plague to them selves. So they turned
them into the streets, and never trou-
bled where they went or what they did
except they happened to want them,
and then if they were not forthcoming
there was generally great commotion.
But Mrs. Fenner had carefully trained
her son, and did not wish him to be cor
rupted by such evil and degenerating
influences.
Now do not begin to think that
Bobby was "milksop," who couldn't
Boo 7 to goose" and SO on, and that
he was "a little prig who thought him
self better than other people" He was
| neither. He could sail his boat with
the rest, liked a good run and good
game, had his falts too, for he could
throw stones ON occasions, as you will
see.
One day his mother sent him into the
village on an errand. He had only to
leave something at the shop and return.
Unfortunately he did not go straight
home, for outside the house he met Will
Bevan, a lad much given to mischief
and stone throwing.
"Let us go and see how they are get
ting on with the church" suggested
Will The church was being repaired,
and was, of course, an object of inter
est to the whole village. Hardly boy
but visited it daily to watch the work
men, and go home and report progress.
Bob and Will ran off and had their look,
and Bob was about to return, when
mischievous Will made further pro-
posal. "Let us see which can throw a
stone over the roof"
"All right" said Bobby. You will
think my good boy ought to have said,
call wrong" but you see he was boy
and didn't.
So Will chose a stone and Bobby a
lump of mortar. Up they went and
down they came with a nice clatter
upon the lead roof. You will think
that did no particular harm. 1t might
have done, and SO thought the vicar who
was inside the building and heard the
rattle.
There are those rascals at it again, "
he said, and out he ran in great anger.
But the boys were already scampering
up the street, and were soon ont of
sight. The vicar, however, followed
them home. The worthy man had been
sadly annoyed and irritated by this
stone throwing propensity among the
boys. Whether it was that the new
roof being higher than the old one SEEM
ed to offer perpetual challenge and say,
'You can't throw over me as you used
to over the otLer poor thing" | know
not; but certain it is that the windows
were broken, work was spoiled, and the
safety of workmen endangered bv this
perpetual throwing of stones. And the
vicar had declared he would make an
example of the first he caught And
now he thought he had caught them, or
as good as caught them, In the very act,
and he stood before the mother of
Bobby-Mrs. Fenner.
Hasn't your boy been down at the
churh throwing stones?'' demanded the
vicar
Certainly not, sir" said the mother,
believing she spoke the truth. 81 sent
him to the shop but few minutes ago,
and now he is back playing in the yard.
Here, Bobby p
This was quite correct, all had hap
pened within few minutes.
Bobby came forward and the vicar
asked
"Were you not throwing stones at the
church lust now u