The Van Buren press., 1893-10-14
PETITE AND THE BOYS.
HOW the lido Was Turned In the Favor q
Lonesome Lad.

70 do something heroic He was a little
digger, little stouter, and decidedly
stronger than the other boys, but it
did not seem to be of much use, because
they were quick and nimble, and Petite
was often the last to see joke or to
KICK ball lie was rather solemn in
his ways and slow, and spent many
long, sunny hours with a puckered- up
forehead and mournful eyes, wishing
that just once he could prove to the
boys that he was not so useless as his
dreamy ways and slow motions led
them to suppose. And sometimes he
would grow cross and sullen under the
sly ridicule they heaped upon him. and
after he had pounded and thumped one
Of them into jelly they would hold
up their hands in horror and call him
a boy with brutal temper. But he
knew better He wanted them all to
love him, and it was because they
couldn't and wouldn't see how much
about him there was to love that he
pommeled and thumped them, and all
the while as he pounded he wanted to
say:
There, take that, and that! Why
won't you be good to me and let me love
your
A funny way to choose to change
their opinions, perhaps But then re-
member he was jus little boy of ten,
and had his own way of looking at
things.
SO it seemed to him that if only he
could do something very big and inn
portant they must all come to think
him very fine boy. And he strutted
about for awhile like puffed up old
gobbler, looking for an imposing op-
portunity.
But it did come, and those cruel boys
only laughed louder than ever, So he
lost all hope and wandered about
through the whole long vacation, look
Ing very lonely and unhappy.
He wandered along by the river one
sunny afternoon, and quite unexpect,
ediy came upon two Of the boys sailing
their boats-schooner-yachts, they
called them.
They thought him rather spoil
sport just then, and turned their backs
as he sat down among the weeds and
tangled grasses. They frowned and
wished him away, but for once did not
bother to say So
He grew tired Of watching them after
4 little and turned his eyes over the
pretty river, which right then ran
smooth and placid. spreading itself out
fat and broad, ready to tumble head
long over the big dam little way be-
low.
"Boys," he said, in his slow way,
"there's hole right there where the
water eddics. guess it's pretty deep.
One of them shook his shoulders inn
patiently, opened his mouth to speak,
but shut it again with snap, for his
Yacht slipped from between his fingers
and darted forward swiftly in the quiet
but rapid stream He plunged forward
to catch it, one step, two steps, and
with sharp cry disappeared from
sipht, In another moment he bobbed
To the surface again and was swept
AWAY into the current where it hurried
nm toward the smooth and slippery
edge of the dam. lie struggled and
cried out, and just as the water lay
--LATEST. ready to dash him over the
br,nk. he caught the low branches OF
sturdy willow and clung with grip OF
despair.
II had all happened in such minute
of time that the boys on the bank had
scarcely changed their positions
Then Petite looked at the other boy,
who was trembling and white, ana
said, laconcally:
"Call help" and walking deliberate.
lv down the bank he slowly climbed
the willow. crept out on the branch
and slipped down the hanging fringes
until he dropped into the water along
s;1a of the terrified and almost ex-
hausted boy, ,,,, ILL.,.
Leave CO." he drawled; "l'li hold
VOL" And slipping his arm round the
yya;st of his companion he took nrm
hold of the weeping willows and low
ared himself slowly, slowly, until only
l
| ,be;r heads were above water.
And there he clung. Seconds ne"
hu thcv seemed hours; minutes new
by they seemed days His face grew
sot and white. but lie never thought Oh
letting go. The water tngged an, aho
succeed and his companion seemed IKE
lad in his arms. He grew ley coiu'
and the noise of the water seemed 70
he in his head rather than outside, anu
~ ro,l IN laundering waves as IL urea
=. ~ s,veen them away on its bosom
Then the sky grew black ana ne
so,med to be falling, falling. whiie Il
ssaa in his arms dragged him to the
bottom of the sea.
MEANWHILE help had not been SLOW
IN coming, and it really was only /"
~, :" ,n;nt,tes before strong arms res
l,,"a @ The bows from their position OF
.aril @ And as they loosened the ii..,e ,
misunderstanding hands re'le
haad fell back and he sank lh'o p" '0''
of unconsciousness' m
u :, ,yas all right, however. The boys
,,a,L strong and sturdy, ana after
,it,le they sat wrapped in blankets on o.,
ether side of the kitchen stove u .sas snS
elthoi -, .,,,,;le the boys all crowded