Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-05-05
ton on her face,

Tad drew back the bolt, and opened
the door. There stood Joe, dressed in
his Sunday clothes, with a small bun
die slung over his shoulder, after the
manner of dramatic sailor about leav.
ing home for sea-voyage.
"Come out here, Tad," whispered
Joe; and, too much astonished to speak,
Tad followed his friend out on the
moonlit piazza.
II come to say good-bye-rm going
to run away" said Joe, in voice in
which had suspicious shake in it, as
he involuntarily glanced back at the
farmhouse little further down the
street, bathed in the soft splenaors of
the moonbeams.
''Going to run away!' repeated Tad,
in tones of the utmost astonishment.
What for?"
well" was the reluctant answer,
"there are good many reasons. I'm
tired of being thrashed so much, for
one thing" said Joe, squirming around
rather uneasily, rs though he found
sitting on tho edge Of the piazza un-
comfortable, "and I'm tired Of farm
work, too. Besides" he added, boldly,
~ want to be Il dotective-Mr. Bios
som said he'd bet I'd make real smart
one"
'Then, bine-bye, you'H be goin' off,"
continued Joe, mournfully, rs Tad
stared at his friend in CONSERVATION too
deep for words, land you're the only
fellow / ever cared any thing for, any
way"
No, indeed, won'tr' eagerly cx-
claimed Tad; I'm going to stay here
and grow up-Miss Smiths my own
Aunt Rhody, that / never saw-we
only found it cut by accident" And
Tad related all, with which our reader
is familiar, to Joe's open-mouthed
amazement
A little silence fell upon them both
as Tad related his story. The cricllets
chirped in the grass and there was q
distant chorous of frog music from the
ncighboring swamp.
Joe" said Tad. gently, "what do
you s'posc your mother would do with
out her boyP"
That was touching tender spot.
Joe loved his mother better than any
thing or anybody In the wide world,
and Joe was the very apple of her eye.
The boy drew his sleeve across his face,
while the visions of being 4 detective
were entirely obscured by some trouble
some tears.
"Come, old fellow" continued Tad,
throwing his arm about his friends
neck, '.you know you don't mean it.
Why, it would just about kill your folks
to have you go of this way; and then
what would do, if you should run
awayP"
"l-guess i won't-go, after
ALL" said Joe, brokenly, and the de-
termination cheered him wonderfully.
In five minutes he was chuckling over
the incidents of Edwards capture, and
the conversation became general.
'But I tell you, Joe," Tad remarked,
as he rose to his feet, "seems to me
I've been getting considerable MORN
my share of good things, for one day
five hundred and fifty dollars, and
Aunt Rhoda INTO the bargain"
at hasn't been such bad day all
round, when you come to think of it, ="
responded Joe, with his customary
grin. There was Mr. Atherton got
his sachel, Mis-. Mason her cloak and
things, Cap'n and Mis- Flagg has got
somethin' to talk about, Miss Smith got
Mysteries, Mr.. Blossom got Edwards,
Edwards g't caught, and /, said Joe,
as fine summing up, got a ride-ten
dollars from Mr.. Blossom for upsetting
a buggy-and a jolly good lickin' for
drivin' stable-team, when I'd been
told not to-"
And Joe, with lightened heart and
friendly nod, stole back to the shelter
of the paternal roof, reaching his
chamber in safety; while Tad sought
his own little room, where, with very
full heart, he knelt by his bedside and
thanked the Good Father of all mercies
for the wonderful way in which He had
directed his boyish steps. Then Tad
gldressed and went to bed, just as the