New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-30
POETS "REMINISCENCES.
From The indianapolis Journal.
" HE LIT OUT"

From The indianapolis Journal.
l am reminded of certain willful boy-lwe have
all either known or been Just such 0ne)-an ag
gIeved unappreciated boy. who grew to dislike his
own home very much and found his parents not at
all up the standard of his requirements as son
and disclpnarlan. So he brooded sullenly over his
disrearenins surroundings and limitations and OF
advantages to be found at home he lit out enc
morning before breakfast; and climbing over the
BILE he vanished himself away" down the turnpike
Yes; he had at last put into execution his long
muttered threatenings. lie mad run away noih
homc
Ills parents the discovery of his sR bore DO nsI
been much-abuscd boy himself sometime. and d
yned that even then his wayward son was dispOrns
in reality. he was and where he stOically remained
throughout the day-save at one furnishing interval
m ne The S ohef boys went
at dinner time-but he. alas he had no home
Ant Nh he veS to Sns think USs very Su W0 hs
lip trembled frequently that long long feverlsh after
n9 a rhnS e spo %aI N his at that Seemed to hurt
worse when he didn't notice it than when he did. IT
a pain but he wrestled with it, and swallowed at it
until almost dark then. with the last struggling crowd
OF OF h 4ssF that w a H~e f
reluctant reelection returns characteristic. some.
choppIng an armful Of wood as he went in by way Of
The Kitchen And he did this; but the hired girl,
with apparent carelessnesS. but the cupboard was
e Pump met tf him kindly and shook hands with him.
and he drank long and deep TO their moro enduring
acquaintance. The backyard, I'm the settling gloom,
was lonesome but II looked good. and the lightning
bugs, against the grapevines bllnhed at him with
kind of sallow gladness over his return. His heart
softcning lie walked thoughtfuly to the rain
barrel at Of the hOuse and peered In IL at
the few faint stars reflected there. Thcn moved by
some strange impulse, he washed his feet.
He then went into the house and on straight into
the room where sat his parents by the evening lamp
The father was inteny reading the paper the mother
intently sewing. Neither looked up at his entrance
even rcproachfuly. and neither spoke The boy drew
q long, Quaverlng sigh and sat down the remote
edge OF a chair All sim in the room for a
long tme-very still bnt everything seemed so kind
and rastful. and old .fashoned and homev, and kin
To him. Only II somebody would say something
or come and box him. anyhow !--anythng. WHY
Lord bless em wasn't he there, ready TO gratefully
accept anything from theml But that silence ii
the clock would only strike. and drown the whisper
ing sitting sound OF the kaydids outside IN the dewy
grass. From aiar of, down some alien street. he
heard the faint halloo OF the boys at their nightly
game Of "town'fox" with no desire whatever to be
participant In their sport-no. never again in the
world !. He just wanted to stay IN OF nshts-rigt
there at home-aways. lie coughed-hoarscly, too
and shifted his posltion-but vaguest parental
notice or solcitude In response-no word-no look
O, il was very still He couldn't Just remember
any prior silence that AZ all approached II I'm point
II such profunditv OF depth and density OF hush
And he felt that he himself must break it, So sum
mOnng every subtle arfcc OF seeming nonchalance
and old time and natiralness TO his aid ana
gazing pensively az the cat, curled In It's wonted
corner OF the hearth al last he spoke out airIly and
said 81 you've got the same old cat