The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-05-15
THE RUNAWAY BOY.
James WhitcOmb Riley's Yarn at the
Expense Of Richard Malcolm

In introducing Richard Malcolm
Johnston, the Southern author, to
Western audience, Mr.. Riley told this
story:
once grew to dislike his own home very
much, and found his parents not at all
up to the standard of his requirements
as son and disciplinarian. So he
brooded sullenly over his disheartening
surroundings and limitations; and, of
course, knowing the outside world
would afford him advantages never to
be found at home, he lit out one morn
ing before breakfast, and, climbing over
the back fence, and bitterly shaking
his fist at the woodpile he vanished
himself away down the turnpike. Yes,
he had at last put into execution his
long-muttered threatenings. He had
run away from home!
ellis parents, at the dis covery of his
flight, bore up first-rate-especially the
father. Possibly he had been much
abused boy himself some time, and Gi-
vined that even then his hayward son
was disporting himself in the delights
of the swimming hole-w here, in all
realty, he was, and where he stoieSlly
re mained throughout the day; save at
one furnishing interval in which he
sneaked far enough away to RAD
neighbOring orchard, The other boys
went home at dinner-tlme-bu he, alas
| he had no homel At last he tried to
think these very words, and with very
biting irony; his lips trembled ire
quently that long, long, teYerish after
noon, and there was getting to be a
knOtted, rigid sort of an aching spot in
his throat that seemed 10 hurt worse
when he didn't notice it than when he
did, 1t was a very curious, selt-aSsert-
i've, OpiniOnated sort OF pain.
"But he wrestied with IT, and swal-
lowed at 1t until almost dark; then,
with the last Struggling crowd of his
companions, he moved t1rpidly IN
tCwOrd home, or rather aoAed thai
way, with loathful, heaitating, reiuct'
ant, late-election returns oharacterlstlc
somewhat heightened perhaps by the
inward resolve OF chopping an armtul
of wood as he went in by the kitchen
And he did this; but the hired glfl
who was washing the supper dlshe'
made no comment of any kind. de
ranged through the pantry with .ap
parent carelessness, but the cupboard
was locked. He went out on the porch,
where at last the pump met him kandl
: and shook hands with, hims and III
drank ioag and deep TO their more en-
, during acquaintance. The back yard
? in the settling gloom, was lonesome
: but it looked good, and the lightning
. bugs against the grape-vines bllnked
e him with a kind Of salloW glad as2s eve I'VE
He He T wssikea thoSushtfatlly e the rail-
J, barrel At the corner of the house an
n peered in it at the few faint stars re
= fiected there. Then, moved by som
= strange impulse, he washed his feet,
nffs then went iata The honSe anu =
straight into the room where sat n,
: parents by the evening lamp. The latl
) er was intently reading the paper, u
7, mother intently sewing. NeiFG'
'e btEoachfuiiE, and neither spoke: I'll
I'll bow drew long, quayering sigh al
!, sat down on the remote edge OF a ehal
All was still in the room for q long YIN
le very still but everything seemed
y kind and restful and old-fas hioned al
y honey ard kind to him! Only if som
Ie body would say something-Qr con
es and hos RiIn, anyAoW,Eanyt4ih
o. Why, LORD hless. lem, wasn't he t ne,
al ready to gracefully accept any {Ai y
III clock would only strike ana drown I
Whispering, sitting sound of the ltat
to dds outside iii the dewy grass Ere
la afar off, down some alien street,
~ heard the faint halloO of the boys
q their nightly game of town fox wi
n no desire whatever to be participa
nd in their sport no, never again IN
Us woFidl eJust Waited 70 stay IA
JIG nights, right thefa at hQma, alwa,,
an He ooughed -horsely, too-and SHIFT
. his position, but no vaguest' paren
-" notice or solicitude in response,
u word, no look. oh; it was very ct
fl fl He o6q,qh,t lqff l emSmth6erL H4 y b kF
d. Of t' such pr6fandity Of depth and dens
he Of hush. And he felt that he hims
ne must break III 50, sunilI4oAlhS ~
~ and old-time ease and naturalgess
n his aid, and gazing pensively at the Q
20, curled in its wonted corner OF
I'D hearth, at last he spoke out airily q
fit said: Il see you've got the same
cat
"And very glad, and proud, and h
ored L feel tonight to present to
eu- this self-same bOy--now grown sol
ng what older IN years, Lh1 Io1g5a ~ ~
no no Simple ham IS of the funniest of
Oh felIows-and this is my good friend q
on yours, Richard Melcolm JohnstonI
Om TIeOrGiap