The Indiana State sentinel., 1881-06-22

He and I went awav to be pirates the other
dav. and found out that he will never do
for pirate
You see. we had both got into difficulties
II wasn't nv fault am sure, but it's such a
painful subject that won't describe it. i
will merely say that after it was all over, 1
went TO see Johnny TO tell him that it was
no use 10 put shingles under your coat, for
how is that going to do your legs any good,
and tried it because Johnny advised me to-
I found that he had just had painful scene
with his father on account of apples; and /
must say it served him right, for be had no
business to touch them without permission.
So said, "Look here, Johnny, what's the
use of our staying at home and being laid
onto with switches and our best actions
misunderstood and our noblest and holiest
emotions Geld up to ridicule?" That's what
heard young man say to Sue one day,
but it was so beautiful that / said 1t to
Johnny myself.
"Oh, 90 way said Johnny.
That's what 1 say" said 1. "Let's go
away and be pirates There's brook that
runs through Deacon Sammis's woods, and
it stands to reason that il must run into the
Spanish Main, where all the pirates are.
Let's run away, and chop down tree, and
make a canoe, and sail down the brook till
we get to the Spanish Main, and then we
can capture schooner, and be regular
pirates"
"Hurrah I" says Johnny. "Wefl do it.
Let's run away tonight. I'll take fathers
hatchet, and the carving-knife, and some
provisions, and meet you back of our BAN
at ten o'clock"
"l'll be there" said /. "0nly, If we're
going to be pirates, let's be strictly honest.
Don't take anything belonging to your
father. Pve got a hatchet, and a silver
knife with my name on it, and I'll save my
supper and take it with me-"
So that night watched my chance, and
dropped my supper into my handkerchief,
and stuffed it into nv pocket. When ten
o'clock came, l tied up my clothes in Dun-
die, and took my hatchet and the silver knife
and some matches, and slipped out the back
door, and met Johnny. He had nothing
with him but his supper and a backgammon
board and a bag of marbles. We went
straight for the woods, and after we'd select
ed big tree to cut down, we ate our supper.
Just then the moon went under a cloud, and
it grew awfully dark. We couldn'tsee very
we'll how to chop the tree, and after Johnny
had cut his fingers, we put off cutting down
the tree till morning, and resolved to build a
fire. We got lot of fre-wood, but l drop
ped the matches, and when we found them
again they were so damp that they wouldn't
light.
All at once the wind began to blow, and
make dreadful moaning in the woods.
Johnny said it was bears, and that though
be wanted to be pirate, he hadn't calculated
on having any bears. Then he said it was
cold, and SO it was, but told him that it
would be warm enough when we got to the
Spanish Main, and that pirates ought not to
mind little cold.
Pretty soon it began TO rain, and then
Johnny began to cry. It. just poured down,
and the way our teeth chartered was terrible.
By-and-by Johnny jumped up, and said he
wasn't going to be eaten up by bears and
get an awful cold, and he started on a run
for home. Of course wasn't going to be
pirate all alone, for there wouldn't be any
fun in that, so / started after him. He must
have been dreadfully frightened, for he ran
as fast as he could, and as 1 was in hurry,
L tried TO catch up with him. If he hadn't
tripped over a root, and L hadn't tripped
over him, 1 don't believe l could have
caught him. When L fell on him, you
ought to have heard him yell. He thought
was bear, but any sensible pirate would
have known / wasn't.
Johnny left me at his front gate and said
ne had made up his mind he wouldn't be a
pirate, and that it would be a great deal
more fun to be a plumber, and melt lead.
l went home, and as the house was locked
up, had to ring the front-door bell.
Father came to the door himself, and when
he saw me, he said, "Jimmy, what in the
world does this mean7" SO 1 told him that
Johnny and me had started for the Spanish
Main to be pirates, but Johnny had changed
his mind up in Deacon Sammis's woods, and
that thought I'd change mine to.
Father had me put to bed. and hot bottles
and things put in the bed with me, and
before l went TO sleep, he came and said:
Goodnight, Jimmy. Well try and have
more fun at home, so that there won't be
any necessity of your being pirate"
And l said, Dear father, I'd good deal
rather stay with you, and 1'll never be a
pirate without your permission
This is why l say that Johnny McGinnis
will never make a good pirate. He's too
much afraid of getting wet.