Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-29
AN INDIANA ADVENTURE.
The Strange Story Of Sullivan
County BOY who Read Dime
Novels. H
From the Joplin tMo.) Daily News

only lacks B heroine TO make the
groundwork for readable romance.
He had become addicted to the peril
cious habit of reading 1O.cent novels,
which engraved upon his youthful
mind fascinating pictures of wild
and heroic life in the far west, and fl
nally, while at school one day, he
made up his mind to leave his home
and 60 to the far-famed Rocky Noun
tains. He went to st. Louis, where
he got an opportunity to 60 via steam
boat to New Orleans, and consequent
ly changed his course. Arriving at
the Crescent City, he eked ont q mis-
cradle existence selling newspapers
and backing boots, but being COM
PEELED to sleep in goods boxes and
filthy alleys, his delicate constitution
withered and he was prostrated with
fever. He was sent to the hospital
by the authorities, where he remain
ed four months lowering over the
brink of eternity. Before he was en-
tirely well he was again turned into
the streets, but, being very feeble, he
concluded to leave New Orleans, and
one day secured passage on vessel
bound for Galveston. While on the
voyage he fell overheard and came
near drowning, but was rescued and
then severely chastised by the Captain
for the mishap. He finally arrived
safely in port and after two DAYS
hunting work got employment in
livery stable. The second day he
worked he got kicked by horse, and
suffered the fracture Of one arm
Recovering from this misfortune, he
left the Gem City and went to Hous-
ton, where he secured q situation as
"beer-jerker" in variety theatre-a
position he held abut three months,
until enc day the proprietor, while
drunk slapped him across the face,
knocking him down fight of stairs,
breaking two of his ribs. He had
earned little money, which he gave
to an old colored man who took him
to his cabin and cared for him until
he got well.
From Houston he went to Rock
dale, where he worked in q restau.
rant for some time, and then went to
Marlin, on the Waco branch of the
Texas Central, where he hired to a
tie-maker and went to the timber. He
worked in the timber cutting ties for
four months, during which time he
never saw woman or child, and but
two or three men. His employer f.
nally jumped the country withou,
paying him cent, and he was left
penniless and half naked. " A gentle
man in Marlin gave him some old
clothes and the nomsdic little Hooaier
again started ON his travels-this
time bound for San Antonio. AT
Hampstead he secreted himself on q
night freight on the Austin branch
road, but had not proceeded many
miles before he was discovered by q
negro brakeman, who pushed him of
while the train was in motion. He
laid near the track unconscious for
some time, and. on coming to his
senses, he found that his injuries
were such that he could not get up
and he laid there until about 9 O'Clock
next day when man passing along
discovered him, and carried him to q
farm house near by. In falling from
the train he struck his breast on
large rock. He remained helpless fol
over six weeks. When he recovered
he worked on the farm to pay for hit
board and the doctors bill, and agar
resumed his journey, this time OF
foot. He says that it was the frs
, time that he ever attempted to steal s
ride on the railroad and that it would
f be the last time.
II At San Antonio he secured posi-
ton as q bell-boy in a hotel, but on,
day met a cattle-deAler enroute tt
/ the frontier for q herd of cattle, anC
, left the ancient city to roam, will
Iwhip and spur, on the endless prai
, ries. The cattle-dealer, after buying
the cattle, returned north by rail
leaving our hero to accompany tn
|. cowboys with the herd to Kansas
The journey was long, tiresome on,
and the confinement in the saddl,
caused him much suffering from in
} juries received at the hands OF tn
heartless negro brakeman. One da,
while in camp in the Indian Terrific
ry, one of the herders, while unde
] the influence of liquor, got to foolin,
, with six-shooter, which accident
, ally went of, the ball striking tn
/. Hoosier boy on the left side of tn,
head and face, leaving q fearful
D wound, the scar of W hich he still car
} ries. His wound was dressed as vel
. as rough companions could dress il
, and he was again laid up.
i Recovering from this misfortun
/ he went to Wichita, where he wa
paid of, and, purchasing q suit o
clothes, started on foot for his home
/ During all this two years he hat
never written home, aud his parents
never having heard from him, per
haps long since mourned him q
:, dead. He said in his travels he neve
met a single individual he knew, an,
: sometimes fits of home-sicknes
( would nearly craze him, though h
| bore up manfully, determined not t
let his parents know his condition o
. whereabouts. He showed the reporte
. q photograph Of his only sister, which
he had carried through all his travel
and he said he would have lost hi
life rather than have parted with il
!, One remarkable characteristic ia dis
played in our youthful tramp, in tn
fact that he says he never took chey
( Of tobacco or drink of any kind Q
} liquor, never swore an oath, bet
Fcent or gambled.
u A bright, childish smile appeared
on his SCARED but youthful face whel
he spoke of the surprise in store TO
, his parents and sister, who woul'
little expect him when he walked int
their midst; and this happy anticipa
ton seemed to urge him on, as he a
once picked up his little bundle an,
resumed his journey. He stated tina
he had seen enough of the world TO
a while, and would spend the mex
three years of his life in the p.easan
school-room he left two years ago.
Democratic Condemnation o
nAmoeYaha