The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-08-06
What Came of Willie,s Independence.

ways DON'T DON'T DON'T and I
never have one bit of fun.' Uttering
these angry words, Willie Seymour
rushed out of the room where his pa
rents were slit Eng, and, am sorry to
say, slammed the door after him.
His mother looked up with count
enance full of anxiety. II am, afraid
Willie has found some bad compan-
ions in his new school, she said. He
never used to talk in such way, and
was quite content with his brothers at
home. have noticed change lately;
our home society does not content him.
Oh, suppose our boy should 60 astray
after all?''
Il do not fear that" replied Mr..
Seymour. ''Willie will not enjoy bad
company long. He is dazzled at pres
ent by the society of the older boys.
We can only watch and pray and try
and win him back
Willie's friends were waiting for him,
and a chorus of voices greeted him.
Are yop going?' Sure you did not
tell?' "Made up your mind at last?'
were few of the questions.
Now, until this very moment, Willie
had not made up his mind, but the re-
membrance of the home scene and the
taunts of the boys determined him.
Eyes. I'll co. he said; and then felt
almost frightened at his own words.
But he was ashamed to draw back, and
! so listened to their plans with heavy
heart.
Alas! that boys should have their
minds poisoned by evil books. Into
the high school had crcpt trashy sto-
ries of Indian hunts and wild advcn-
lures. The foolish boys believed that
they had only to set out on Their tray
els to become real heroes. Lessons
were neglected, secret meetings held,
and band of ten organized, with one
of the elder boys as a leader. Now
everything was in readiness and the
| day was set for starting It was scarce
ly daybreak when they set out.
Everything went we'll that day, and
| they were in great spirits when they
reached the next town. But here they
found they could not put up for the
night at the hotel, because there was
meeting of delegates from the sur
rounding towns and several gentlemen
had come from K, who would be
sure to recognize them. So they moved
| on.
This, however, was looked upon as
pleasant sensation, but they were
pretty footsore and hungry when they
at length reached a little village. It
was decided to camp out that first
night; so, after procuring some stale
| bread from a house near by and a
drink of milk, they lay down in field.
But the grass was not so soft nor pleas
ant as the books had represented and
it rained toward morning. The Sec
ond day found the party pretty stiff
with fatigue and wet, and IN no humor
| in hunting for their breakfast. Two
of the boys had guns, to be sure, but
the birds did not drop down as easily
as they were expected to, and the
streams which were supposed to
abound with fish could not be found.
This Was sore disappointment. for
their funds were small, and, without
the help of birds and fish, would not
hold out much more than another day.
| A consultation was held at once.
Most of the boys were for turning
back. The books had told of none of
these difficulties, and the most san
guine even were sappo!nted; but
they agreed to hold out a little longer.
They had scanty rat that day,
and when MIG bit came again were glad
to take shelter in a barn. But even
this retreat had its drawbacks, for ev-
eryone knows that rats and mice are
poor bed fellows, and more than one
of the boys was too much alarmed to
sleep, although ashamed to own it.
They spent their last cent upon a dry
breakfast the next day, and with it
disappeared the glory of the expedi-
ton. There is nothing like hunger
and WEAKNESS to make people appre
ciate comfortable homes. That night
they were glad to leg shelter at a farm
! house. But the farmer, instead of BID
ding them welcome, began quest: on;ng
them, and, not being satisfied with
their answers, whispered something
.hurr edlv to his wife and babe them
come in and "wait few moments
till he returned. This looked suspic-
ious, and the boys decided not to wait;
so as soon as his back was turned they
ran off.
just here Willie met with a painful
AOCiuOAO' ~ was SAO"'AS Oe.A ~ e"AA>A
he did not see stone which stood near,
and VIII CHI tripped him up. He fell to
the ground with a groan, nor did he
know anything further until he awoke
and found himself on sofa anda doc
tor bending over HIM, and one of his
friends at his side. For several days
he was too sick to be que toned, and
was greatly surprised on the third
morning when his parents arrived.
Then he learned that the farmer had
recognized them as the missing party
from K for word of their depart
ure had been telegraphed all over the
country. They were Immediately sent
home-a crestfallen party of heroes
all except Willie and his friend. When
| his father and mother arrived and saw
the pale. suffering boy they did not
| reproach him, but forgave him fully
for all the cruel anxiety he had cost
them. 1t had been hard lesson for
their boy, they felt, and one he would
never forget; and they were not mis-
| taken.