Milford chronicle., 1885-10-30
panionI

pani1n.l
thousands; pos
at bad literature
ads, as the more
asiest means, but
young mans un
pack quarter OF a
few bad books had
to the quiet town in
gland where the victim
Jut where the influences
hts, in a more primitive
ne same.
whom for the present we will
avis, grew up in good habits,
family, cheerfully aiding his
n laboring for an honest liveli-
nd attending school at least one
a the wear. and church regularly.
yould think there could have been
ing in the surroundings OF his coun-
home to mislead his imagination, but
in so many other safe and sheltered"
,laces. the evils that breed discomfort
were there.
Living sufficiently near to be almost
daily acquaintance were several men
and bows of loose morals, who were
ready to corrupt him with evil stories,
and put lawless desires into his mind.
From hearing their stories of sin, at
first with dislike, he became, before
he fairly grew to mans stature, an eager
} listener.
These associates poisoned his mind,
made him dissatisfied with his home,
and filed him with useless ambitions.
Every little disappointment or priya-
D ton or unpleasant incident at home was
taken advantage of by those pretended
friends to weaken his loyalty and natl-
raj affections, and make him unhappy
and unprateful. Every occasion was
seized to infatuate him with notions oil
: his own smartness, and the possibilities
Of forbidden freedom.
The result was what too commonly
I follows when boys listen to bad advisers
Ia desire for adventure became ruling
A passion. At the age of seventeen John
. Davis ran away.
I 1t must have been a sort of insanity thai
Z possessed him. What plan or plans tho
i Youth had in his mind, no one can know
n II was in the dead of winter when h'
: secretly packed bundle of clothes, anc
stole away one cold afternoon on snow
shoes. Travelling across the fields, HI
i escaped observation, and fresh snow
! that was already falling, covered hi
II tracks.
% That evening, at the supper-table, hi
c absence excited concern, and when
g was found that he had taken away hi
"a clothes. the concern deepened into rea
a alarm. Messengers were sent in. ever
70 direction to make inquiries, and partie
searched the surrounding country, bu
the winter passed, and no hint came o
q the young mans whereabouts, or III
Y fate. Why he should have left, and /
1T such way, pleasant home, was tn
a wonder of the tOwn-until 1t was tull
known what wicked influences had bee
g at work upon him.
G. Six months after his disappearance
az some hunters in a piece of woods nc
to four miles from his fathers house, foun
the disiointed bones of a human skel'
A. ton. Searching further, they pickle
q lip a snow-shoe, a boot, a jack-knif'
and some shreds of clothing. The relic
~ were easily identified. John Davis ha
ID met his death there alone.
Pity tried in vain to hide the tragi
en- particulars from the stricken father an
rt- mother. The cry Of their hearts weI
is up like the wall of old; their son WI
"a 'swithout doubt torn in pieces"
in ''He that walketh with wise men sha
at be wise, but a companion Of fools sha
i've be destroyed" "Little foxes spoil Il
Y, vines, and it is not great crimes alon
~ ~ but often the results of evil influence
lie that mislead the imagination and ru
the soul, and the ways of such j
at f1Iences are often dark and mysteriou
rts
7ss DID YOU EVER THINK how much woi
~ is required to count a billion, OF Il
Sas length of time it would take2 An art
ize metician makes this calculations H;
ed, Adam counted continuously from b
ny creation to inc present day he won
nd not have reached q billion, for -
take S, SIP years.