Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-01-04
HOW BARRY BECAME A HERO.

AT the unrlpe age of thirteen, Barry
Munson and Tom Finch were fast
friends. Social differences did not
trouble them. Their interest in base
ball was equally intense, and their an
tipathy for algebra was equally deep
rooted. Tom worked out Barry's math-
ematical problems, and Barry wrote
Toms compositions, and either would
have made any reasonable sacrifice to
secure for the other admission to cir
Gus.
When Barry Munson's sister Louise
said that Tom Finch was not " proper
associate" her brother defended his
friend stoutly.
- guess he knows more'n you do, or
that gOggle-eyed Maynard, either"
This was doubly-cruel thrust. Miss
Louise Munson had finished her educa-
tion-had anyone doubted it, she might
have produced her diploma from the
Raritan Seminary-and, moreover, Miss
Louise MunsOn was an ardent admircr
of Mr.. Frederick Maynard. This latter
gentleman, whom the incorrigible Bar
ry persisted, in designating google
eyed,n was the son of a respectable
tanner, who had amassed fortune by
industry and hides. presume he be-
gan life without dollar. That ap-
pears to be necessary condition at the
outset of every rich mans career. How
ever, Josiah Maynard had been for
twenty years prominent man in Bar
borough, and new generation did not
stop to question how he obtained his
money. His son Frederick knew moth
ing of hides, and even less of the strug-
= giles which his father had undergone
years ago. This lucky myope looked
upon the world through Brazilian peb-
bles,, and found it fair. He grew into
manhood with a decided predilection
for gold-rimmed eyeglasses and gor-
geous cravats. To these, somewhat
later, was added a profound admiration
for Miss Louise Munson.
When Barry presumed to elevate Tom
Finch to higher plane than that occu-
pied by Maynard, his sister became
properly indignant. Tom Finch was
the son of a mechanic, who was per-
mitted to live chiefly through the gra-
cious indulgence of Barry father. Had
there been no Barborough iron-works
ii was reasonable to suppose that the
Finch family could not have existed;
and certainly there would have been no
Marlborough iron-works without Mum
son. The Finches, therefore, owed the
Munsons debt of gratitude which they
could hope to pay only negatively; that
is, by preventing their Tom from asso-
ciating with Barry.
That is the way in which Miss Louise
Munson looked at the matter when she
protested against her brothers intima-
cy with Tom Finch.
Now Barry himself, at the unripe age
of thirteen, stubbornly refused to give
up Toms companionship merely be-
cause Toms father was a mechanic.
Tom himself was a first-rate fellow.
He could play short-stop better than
any boy in Barborough. He could make
kites that would soar heavenward to
the limit of two balls of twine. He was
especially good at leap-frog, and with
out him algebra would have remained
forever an unknown quantity. 1t mat
tered very little in those days whether
Tom wore patches on his coat or not.
After he thrashed big John Roper, be-
cause big John snatched an apple from
Bessie CharlOck's desk in school, he be-
came at once hero in Barry's eyes.
And at thirteen heroes are wOrshiped
more devOutly than in ripper age. At
twenty the worship is apt to turn to
heroines.
As boys, then, Tom and Barry were
the best of friends. They had but one
quarrel-thatis,o of serious nature-and
that was caused indirectly by Bessie
Charlock. On his thirteenth birthday
Barry gave party, to which, in spite
of many protestations from Miss Louise,
Tom Finch was invited. When it came
TO supper time, Tom offered TO escort
Bessie CharlOck TO the dining-room.
Bessie refused TO go; she "had COM
pany." Barry was at first astonished
and afterward indignant, Not, how
ever, at Bessie. 1t was perfectly right
that she should keep her word, and go
with somebody else, as she had prom
ised. Barry's indignation turned upon
that somebody else, who proved TO be
Tom Finch.
~ wanted to take Bessie Charlock to
supper" said he, later in the evening.
why didn't you ask her, thenP" re-
joined Tom.
Cause you got ahead of mer'
"Well, II she would rather go with
me, s'pose it's all right, isn't itP''
This was more than Barry could
stand.