Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-01-15

| VhOAVAOiS "iSA VAS ahO"nOJ IOWA -
fascinating animal y was hauled back
from the window stills of the building
opposite, and resume his perch on top of
the organ, and the organ being shifted
to the mans back, was carried from it's
admiring nearer, Johnny, it was "a
greater disappointment than that
young man could bear, and without
pausing to remember his promise not
to stir from the door where he had
been left he moved on after the organ,
and was unconsciously lured into side
street utterly new to him. 1t was not
until Johnny, at last wearied Of the
monkey shines and cracked melodies to
which they now danced, that he start
ed to return to the building which the
clerk had entered, and realized for the
first time the mistake he had made In
leaving that particular spot and door
Where it was he knew no more than
the man in the moon and up and down
he ran, turning here, and turning
there, until finally the poor little fel-
low was in despair, and had to &C.
knowledge that he was fairly lost.
"Please can you tell me where that
high building is that has windows
bound with red p he asked of passer.
by.
The gentleman answered, in haste,
eyes, sonny, three blocks down there,
you mean the--building, think"
and on he went having Internationally
misdirected poor Johnny, owing to the
unfortunate fact that buildings with
redsilled windows were rather common
in that part of the city. Meanwhile, a
man having overheard Johnny's ques
ton, followed close at his heels, as the
little boy started eagerly off still furth
er away from where the clerk was
looking in vain for him, and presently
said: you're lost, reckon, my lit
tie gentleman. | know the place where
yon want to 60. Come along with me,
I'll take you.
As he spoke he eyed Johnny's velvet
suit greedily, and there was an eypres
sion in his face which, had the child
been older he would surely have no
ticed and feared. However, he thank
ed the man joyously, and walked be-
side him. After they had turned into
a somewhat lonely side street, still
nearer the docks than before, the man
pulled out handkerchief from his
pocket and saying:
Hello, what's that smooch on your
cheek, young sir?-let me wipe it off,
he pissed the handkerchief close to
Johnny's little pug nose, and when he
removed it Johnny felt dazed and
sleepy, and wondered what made the
handkerchief smell so strangely, and
his feet felt so heavy all of IL sudden
And while he was wondering about it,
he didn't notice that he was being led
INCREASINGLY toward a canal boat, and
that presently he was lift I'D down some
steps and laid upon dirty bed, where
he finally slept heavily. And up on
the deck of the canal boat two men
were holding lowtoned conversation,
during which had any one listened they
might have heard the words, "Big sum
for him, l bet your "Sell the suit
TRY the experiment, anyhow! "Can
smuggle him back if we get in
scrapep p eff he cries give him
thrashing to teach him betterE' and
many more disconnected sentences,
which would have proven that poor
Johnny had fairly fallen in the hands
of kidnapper4. To do the men justice
they didn't want to really harm the
boy, they wouldn't have killed him,
nor have held him long enough to
bring serious trouble upon themselves,
But they wanted, if possible, to pretend
to find the lost child, for whom big
reward would be offered, no doubt, and
they meant to sell the little suit in an
other city if they could.
So the canal boat was freed from the
dock, and at 6 o'clock when Johnny 9
household were frantic about him, and
the police were beng notified in all di-
rections, went up the river, towed by
the putting tug, whose captain never
suspected that he was helping to carry
a small boy far from home.
After supper, the men sat just out.
side the cabin door to discuss Johnny
again, and Johnny himself having
aroused from his sleep, and just about
to call out in alarm at his strange po-
sition, CHANGED to hear the voices, and
being quick witted enough for a boy
twice his size, sat up in the berth to lis