The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-04-16


wagon"
" Well, Mrs. Rush." replied the man,
"Tll send you word if hear of such things.
You wouldn't want new wagon ?n
Z" Not if can help it," said Mrs Rush
:" I can hev it painted new and cost mt
half
The man walked on, md Caleb sat ON the
wagon with plan that would few hours
ago have thrilled him with horror, quite ma
tured for execution--a plan to sell his
iather's wagon aud horse and ran away with
the proceeds rs we'll MS the wood money
He felt that it was wicked, disgraeeful
treacherous but he never paused
Ten minutes afterward he knocked a,
Mrs. Rush's door, and asked her if ''she
had told Mr.. Potter she wanted horse 2"
And since he did not know the proper price
for horse or wagon, he allowed her to set
her own. And then, feeling very much
richer than any millionaire, he walked away
with his pockets stuffed with money, and
took q train to the town. where the circus
was to be that night. sB
His mother waited for the tea IN vain
She went to the door and Hooked up the
road His father, after declaring that the
boy was fooling his time away, grew grave
and walked little way to look for the
wagon. sf5
Meanwhile Caleb was eating his supperir
distant town, attired in a new suit he had
bought there, and still feeling that his
wealth was unbounded. He. saw the show
that night and tho next. He wisely skipped
the performance in his own town, and went
on to the town beyond. For two weeks he
travelled in the cars with the company, lis
tened open-mouthed to their talk, admired
each one more intensely rs tins went on,
acquired great deal of circus slang, and
Jaw the show every day, twice day often.
1t seemed to him that life was worth liv-
ing now, and that he was happy but one
evening the great shock came. He felt in
his pockets for the money for his ticket, and
found one small and rusty cent. He turned
them inside out-nothing more appeared.
lie was destitute, he had practicetl no econ
omy; he had travelled constantly he had
spent every penny of his money; but that
seemed TO him impossible he beheyed TINT
he must have been robbed of at least half
ais fortune
Beastly wretehes, they ought to be
hung he cried then remembered that he
also had been thief.
His father Ind traslcd him as any fatho
might have trusted his son, and he had be
trayed him
Reckon deserve it, he said, woefuly,
especially considering ma, and how she's
Worried y but to go back disgraced and for
yermore to be distnisted, did not seem pos
,ible to him.
His ono hope was that they would tax
him in at tho circus, aud let him learn TO be
one of them. He had no knowledge Of tle
person to whom to apply. but the clown
seemed the most aminble of the group, and
he fingered about their abiding place, and
at last yentured to ask il he might see linn.
The request Was Granted. aud in a moment
more Caleb stood before very grave look
ing old man with gray hair, and a wrinkled
face, who said. q Well, lad, what can do
for your And Caleb stammered ont his
wishes.
:. You think the life is all fun, don't you|'
said the clown. " You're mistaken, lad. It's
hard and it's trying; but if you have no
better, why, you might see What the man
ager would say. But look here-look me
in the eye and speak the truth Have you
run away from home see you have -you
Iytf nd xvln Il 10 10
back and beg pardon before it's too late"
Il can never go back" soid Caleb ~
wouldn't dare"
Then" said the clown, with an acute
ness born of experience, you've stolen
something But he did not say il harshly,
and something in his voice and manner
melted the boy as he never was melted be
fore, and, under the old mans questioning,
the truth came out.
You'll get logging when You go
home, " he said" but go. You've got q
father-most of all, you've got mother.
See here-T know. ran away from home
myself, and left my dear, kind mother. A
year or two after went back to be forgiven,
but there was no one TO forgive me. Only
grave in the church-yard to cry over. Go
back to your mother, boy--go back
And tbs boy, sobbing bitterly, answered:
Z" / will, if father kills me-"
Then the old man opened an old wash
leather purse, and counted out the fare to
Caleb's native place, and going away mo-
ment, came back with paper bag of sand.
witches.
I" The express train starts in fifteen min
ates. I'll put you in it," he said. And they
went away together.
g You've done one wicked thing, lad" he
said, but you've got all your life to do
better in. Try to train yourself so that you
couldn't do thing like that again and
bear your fogging, If it comes to that. You
know You can never have but one mother"
And SO the boy went away homeward
with the touch Of the kind old hand upon
his head.
Next year the circus company came to
--again.
The tents We're pitched in the green hol-
low, and Caleb's mother was going with
she said. She saw him, with his white paint
ed face, his red mouth from ear to ear, his
buggy garments. She saw him run and
dance, and heard his jest and laughter.
How much his appearance is against
him What pity he should look like that,
being SO worthy
" But he don't when he's not painted,
mother" said Caleb. He's inst nice,
kind old gentleman"
And the next moment the clown looking
straight at them, said, in voice that had a
tender tone in it:
'swhat is the prettiest sight see, Mr.
Whipper? Why, the mothers and their chill
iren, sir, of course-good mothers end duti-
full boys"
Then he went wildly through hoop, and
set the crowd to laughing but Caleb and
his mother knew that he had spoken to
them.-Md,y Kyle Dallas.