The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-09-24
WHAT GOT INTO JOHNNY.

What has got into johnny" asked
Grandmother Harding, as she sat down
beside the stocking basket
why, what do you notice about
himP" asked her daughter. moving to
and fro as she picked up the breakfast
dishes.
"Oh, don't know, except that he
used to be such little chatterboX, and
now he skercely answers a body when
you speak Besides, thers an anxious
expression on his face, and he seems
reading things in his bread and milk,
aud gifts away from folks. My minds
Oneasy."
Hes growing more of boy, that's
the reason, more quiet and thoughtful,
| hope. notice he often has book
in his hand"
"What sort of booksP" asked grand
ma, who could recite whole payes of
Watts Hymns" and had the old
New England Primer at her tongues
end, besides being able to place any
text in the Bible from Genesis to Reve-
lation, only give her time.
"Oh, good enough. l guess the BOYS
lends 'em to him; brings home a stack
at a time Almost. You can't be ALWAYS
running after boy like Johnny. I'm
rather glad he likes reading-keeps
him out of the way, like"
Grandmother looked dubious.
depends on what he reads" she
said, and went on with her darning-a
pair of Johnny's red stockings out at
knee as well as heel
Meantime what had got into Johnny?
The brightest visions that were ever
heard or read of. Grottos of pearl,
mountains of gold, rocks of crystal.
gateways OF precious stones, the pal
aces of Kings. the romance and the
glory of adventure. No wonder John
ny was lost in dreams; that he never
heard when the baby cried, or his moth
er called him. No wonder he thought
the old farmhouse about the meanest,
prosiest place; the same things over
and over; cows to milk, shoes to brush,
wood to split and school to attend, no
matter what the weather was.
Gradually the desire to see these
glorious things took possession of John
ny's mind. He stared at the fire longer
than ever, and answered granny's ques-
tions with vacant nod He hardly
knew that the baby was crying when
that abused innocent demanded his
services, and he upset and broke so
much that his life was embittered by
the seedlings and whippings he got
from day to day.
81 amt a-going to bear it," NUT
tered Johnny. "rll 90 off like Alex
ander lie Baron, who went away Just
my age with bundle on a stick, and
came back twenty years aiterwlth mill
ions of money and made everybody he
knew rich"
Johnny made up his mind at last,
after a great deal Of thinking, that he
would leave home to seek his fortune.
Most of the heroes in his books had
started early TO see the world; why
shouldn't he?
Johnny's books were generally slyly
put under his pillow, and We're read at
night as long rs the candle, which he
also concealed, would hold out. One
of these, "lhe Bandits Bride was
great favorite, us it described caverns
where treasures of gold and silver
were hidden, and made the bloodthirsty
hero a marvel of Intelligence. a chief
OF great ability and an ACCOMPLISHED
gentleman. This was the book that
led him at last to the determination to
seek his fortune. He had a ten-dollar
gold piece that his uncle had given
him, and which he had saved with the
laudable desire of purchasing a house
some day. He took no one in his con /
tidence though he did talk the matter
over TO his nearest neighbor, charm /.