Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-11-24
HOW WE BOYS TRIED IT.

HOW WE BOYS TRIED IT.
"Bill Brayton's father came one
spring and rented farm near us.
Father said we'd better not have
much to do with 'em at first, till
we found out what sort they
were, but they got so neighborly all at
once we couldn't help it very we'll
They came most every day to borrow
something. and then if they didn't bring
it back-and they most always didn't
i used to have to go for it, so saw q
good deal of Ned and Bell.
"They had cousin that came out for
week in harvest time. He was in bus
iness in New York, and wore light t-col-
ored plaid clothes. He was very socia-
NE, too, and would come around about
lunch time in the bayfield,, and would
eat with us rs free as anything, which
seemed very good OF him when you d
hear him talk of his hotel in the city.
He was very fond of the plums and
harvest apples, too, and praised up
everything we offered him, but did say
that as for him he had no taste for
farming. The city was the place for
boys of spirit. And the Brayton boys
thought SO, too, and said they had no
taste for farming, and they meant to
get into the city as soon as they could.
And when 1 came to think it over, /
really began to see that had no taste
for farming either. And 1 thought it
strange that father and mother had
never concerned themselves to find out
what my tastes were, for had read in
a book that it is n solemn duty for pa
e. ,t,, t1,at tn, IS 1,n.,, IL,
dren, and that their success in life de.
pends a great deal on such things.
tom Bly-that was the city chaps
name-had lot of splendid little books
he lent the Brayton boys, and they lent
'em to me and told me not TO tell. They
We're regular rip-roaring stories, l tel
you all about fights, and scouts, and
death struggles, and dark mysteries,
and bold adventures. The fellows in
them were so brare that one of 'em
would think no more of riding up TO a
lot of fellows, and stabbing one and
shooting two or three with his revolver,
and knocking down another with it,
and putting spurs to his horse and gal
loping off in perfect hailstorm of bull
lets, than of eating breakfast.
=" Bill Brayton thought he'd try being
one of these heroes out on the plains,
and come back in few years rich
owning cattle-ranch and no end of
god mines and things. But Ned Bray
ton and thought we go into business
in the city, like Tom BLY,.
81 spoke to father about it. He
laughed when told him of my tastes.
and said didn't know when was we'll
off. That is Just the way the fathers in
the books did keeping your lives
crushed down by uncongenial surround
ings' they called it. And Bill and
Ned's father said he hoped they'd
grow up to something better than such
hand-to-mouth life as Tom Bly's.
$50 it was very easy to see how the
boys in the books had been driven to
run away from their homes. We talked
great deal about it. and made up our
minds that if we wanted to have any
thing of career, we must run away.
1t was an August morning very
early when I tiptoed down stairs in my
stocking-feet. AS / passed mother 5
door did wish could have wished her
goodbye, and told her how d remem-
ber my promise to her never to smoke
or drink a-glass of beer till L m twenty
one. (She thinks, you see, that If a
fellow lets it alone that long, he'll have
sense enough to keep on letting it
alone.) almost felt like giving It up
when knew she'd feel badly about it;
but I'd left her note telling her was
just going to New York to make my
fortune, andPd write TO her. And l
thought of all the splendid things I'd
do for her when got to be great mer-
chant, and SO | stole into the parlor and
got card picture of my two little sis
ters and wrapped 1t up there wasn't
any of mother) and went on. We had
three miles to walk to the railroad sta.
ton.
"'No more milking COWS or piling
wood or dropping corn or plowing-
Hurrah3 says Bill, as we ratified along
in the cars.
"Each of us had money enough 10
take us TO New York, and a little over.
We found 1t sight better to be flying
along that way in the fine morning
than to be turning out for days work.
We We're going TO look for Tom Bly,
he had told us all to be sure 10 come
right 10 him il ever we came to town,
and we thought it likely he could find
places for us at once either in his own
business or among his friends. As we
walked along the handsome streets. we
couldn't help wondering how soon some
such splendid stores might belong to us
"Bill had Tom Bly's address--he wa.
a grocer-and we soon Logan to look
for him. The street they told us to go
to didn't look SO nice as we thought &
would. But at last VIC found Tom Bly,
store, and that didn't look nice at all
We went in and looked for him. wal
looking for the plaid clothes; for I'd I
known 'em anywhere, but ! couldn'
see 'em and nobody seemed to know
about Mr. BY. But soon Bill sung out
Hello Tom '-and saw wagon driv,
up and Tom was driving it. He hadn'
on the plaid clothes, and he hadn't an,
coat or collar on, and he didn't seem 81
very glad TO see u.s.
"'Well Tom.' Bill Said. here W,
are. you see. We're In for 1t. Read,
10 have you get us into something righ
jes as You said, you know
"'The-old scratch you arep sal,
Tom. You haven't been such fools a
TO come way down here for work, bav
youP'
uaIa,it that x.,hat .,,,, ala ,,.o,