The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-08
BOBBY.


about fourteen years of age, and, as
his mother expressed it, "big for his
size"
Reuben Hotchkiss had decided that
Bobby should follow in his footsteps,
and be blacksmith, too. He had duly
given notice to Bobby to that effect, but
the plan did not meet with the latter S
approval. Bobby had very lively
imagination. The fact was, Bobby had
a decided aversion to learning any
trade at all. Sundry books containing
adventures of sea lite had fallen in his
way, and he was determined to be a
sailor. When he made known his in
tentions to his father the response he
got was not exactly of kind to en-
courage him. Instead of providing him
with "a sailors outfit and sending
him to sea at once, the matter fact
mechanic gave his son to understand,
in very blunt English, that if he ever
mentioned the subject again we would
strap him" very unpoetic perform
ance, indeed.
Bobby knew that his father was a
very resolute man, and not at all back
ward in using the strap when he chose
to consider it necessary; SO he took care
to say nothing more in his hearing
about going to sea. But he by no
means relinquished his purpose. On
the contrary, this purpose grew more
determined than ever. So he read his
old sea-stories over again, and the
blacksmith's life of Lord Nelson, and
he fancied himself another hero of the
Nile and Trafalgar. One day, happen
ing to be alone in the shop for awhile,
the thought that was always in his
mind spoke out aloud, and he began to
sing:
"Ho a sailyer's life for NEE,
On the big briny sea-e-e,
Where from keer kin be freeze,
On the sea zee ee! On the sea-!
don't know whether this rhyme was
original with Bobby or not, I suppose
it expressed his feelings as well as if
Barry Cornwall wrote it.
Another song greatly affected our
young hero's imagination. 1t began
Silver buckles on his knee"
"Bobby Shafftos gone to sea,
Was not his name Bobby-or nick
name? Might not he be supplied with
silver buckles on shipping, and have a
monument at last like that of which the
boy Nelson dreamed? He thought the
poetry prophetic. The poet meant him.
Bobby sat down and wrote the fol-
lowing affecting lines with pencil on
a leaf torn from his fathers account
book:
"DEAR MOTHER,-When you git these few
lines, your Bobby will be many miles from
you. Father he treats me awful for thre aten-
ing to run away; he'll wish he hadent some
West Indee Hands. When / come home, will
bring you shawl; I sha MT bring pa nothing.
Tell little Sister Katie not to cry. .! G9Gd p6y
He enclosed this letter in huge vel
low envelope, and having directed it,
he stole out by roundabout way to
the post office. Arrived there upper
ceived. he dropped it in the box, and
then made his way out of the village
across lots, as fast as his short legs
would carry him.
The nearest seaport to Bobby's resi-
dence was distant about seven hundred
miles. Bobby proposed to walk this
distance. He had a twenty-five cent
piece in his pocket with which to pay
his expenses. By the time he had gone
five or six miles Mis- boyish enthusiasm
began to cool little. This was grave
matter, for without it he realized chat
his runaway courage would not last.
At first he had travelled rapidly, being
very much afraid that his father would
come after him. AS night dreY near,
he travelled considerably slower, and
felt very much afraid his father Uouldn't
come after him. When it was dark he
crawled under haystack in field,
and tried to 60 to sleep; but he could
not sleep. Visions of his afflicted
mother rose up before him, He mag
ined that he saw her reading his letter
He thought he could see the look of
agony on her face, and hear her sobs
and wailings as she realized that her
only boy was gone. And then he
thought of his little sister Katie, and
her distress when she should find out
that Brother Bobby had left her.
Deluded boy! At the very moment
when he began his sad meditations I'M
der the haystack his afflicted" parents
were toasting their feet before an open
fire, and discussing the best means of
Furnishing the truant when he should re-
turn.
"Of course he'll be comm back
when he gets tired and hungry" said
the unsentimental mother.
Hell be here inside of twenty-four
hours" said the father.
Even small Sister Katy thought the
same, and did not appear to have bit
more sentiment than the rest.
Al last morning came, and our young
runaway crawled out from under the
haystack tired and disheartened. He
was disenchanted of a sailors life al
ready. But at the same time he could
hardly make up his mind TO go back.
His father had not been punished
enough yet, he thought. Uncertain
what to do, he approached house not
far off to try and procure something to
eat.
I'D like to get loaf of bread" he
said to a big, red-faced woman, who
came to the door in answer to his
knock.
You would, hey?" said the lady. 81
guess there's many a person in the
same fix. Breads scarce now, an
tramps plenty. I've nothin' to give
away to stout chap like you
Il didn't want you to gice it to me, !"
said Bobby; I'D pay for it
You would, would you?'' said the
woman. .sS'posin' you show me your
money before climb down cellar
Bobby put his hands into his pockets.
and then he discovered that his money
was gone; he must have lost it when he
crawled under the haystack. He tried
20 explain this TO the woman.