St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-11-22
THE BOY THAT DIDN'T DIE.

What He Found Out and How 1t Affected
Him-His Good Resolution.
Jane 20.-Tll have lot to write,
now. More than I ever had before, for
I've found out something.
Six months ago we moved out here
on our farm, and then we didn't go to
town, only just once in while, on the
cars. They put it in the paper when
we left, and once in while they put it
in that pa had been in the city-When
he called on the editor. But hadn't
never been in.
In the paper, I mean. So I was just
the surprisedest you ever saw, to read
yesterday, in little corner: "Died,
June IS, in Hickory Township, Of brain
fever, James Willis, aged thirteen
years. That was me! only, of course,
l hadn't died, nor nothing, and I lived
in Hickory and all. But then, it aUasna't
me, of course, and still / couldn't help
belieYin' it was, if they'd only left out
the brain-fever and the dyin'.
Everybody else thought it was me,
tool mean everybody in town-and
Cousin Fred came right out to see about
it.
Oh, how sorry everybody was! How
they pitied pa! and how they pitied ma!
and how sorry they were for Bess and
Bob for losin' such noble brother! and
what a great man had given promise
of making! and how much good they
had all calculated on my doing in the
world!
Real y I couldn't help thinkin' it
would AaTn been a downright shame if
it had been everybody was so sorry.
twas publicly announced in the town
schools. Fred said! and the teachers
were all SO sorry, and the scholars just
felt aagfu1-especially the girl that had
sat in front Of me, and the two girls
back of me, all who had borrowed my
knife and things most of the time.
think it's wrong to like fellow as
much as they did me, and never let him
know it. I'd a. treated them lots bet
ter in life, if I'd a. known it.
There were resolutions drawed up,
and the teachers cried and said I'd been
a good boy and they'd always been so
proud of me, and had so hoped I'd live
to bless the world 1t seems that I was
the principal hope of that institution. If
I'd a knoWed they had such hopes Of
me, I never would "a whispered or
laughed or traded in school, once.
June 21.-There was a great long
piece in the paper this morning. And
oh, eVerybody's a-feelin' so bad! The
resolutions came out, too. They made
me feel very queer. But we've found
out. Somebody did die, but it wasn't
me. It was just another boy. His folks
moved here lately, and are renters.
June %, Morning. I'm going to town
to-day with Fred. He wrote his folks a
postal, sayin' I was all right, but for
them not to tell, but let my return be a
surprise. [ thought it might be too
much for everybody if I just went right
in to them, and suggested the
propriety Of sending telegram or
something, to tell them to prepare to be
aWfully startled. But pa said he guess
ed it WASH t necessary.
So I'm goin' right in, just so. Oh, ]
am so anxious to see everybody! Won't
they all be glad? / feel as if it would
be dreadful thing for everybody if |
Was to die. I hope. harder'n ever, that
everybody'H live to rear me. / mean,
/ hope for everYbody's sake, that I'll
live to grow up. / never want to affiict
people SO again. Everybody liked me
SO well, and I'm so thankful, and want
to stay with them! I'm going to have a
good time now, with so many friends.
[ guess I'll amount to considerable.
Night. ~ Well, most everybody was
glad guess. But it WASH a bit like
| thought it would be. EYerybodyzhad