Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-17
"what'u she say when com

"what'u she say when como
homeP"
The wild thought grew with the
cherishing.
"I won't come back! hate 1t here.
I'd rather go and work for my living
somewhere. rll-ride a race-horse."
The idea was delightful in its utter
recklessness. Doubly so because it
would be shocking to Aunt Jane.
Early the next morning Jim stood IN
his room, firmly set in his new pur-
pose.
The suit of clothes he had worn at
the county fair lay on chair, mended
with the painstaking care which Aunt
Jane brought to all that she did. II
Jim could have remembered a single
really tender word or look from his
aunt, it may be supposed that his
heart would have been touched by this
evidence of her care for him. If even
she had once in a while roundly
scolded him, it would have been, Jim
thought, refreshing; but that cold
look and measured voice-ah!
"Tll wear my best suit-yes, | will!
What's the difference? AS I'm never
coming back, she can't roll up her eyes
and look shocked at me. And don't
care if do spoil 'em, either!'
An hour later at breakfast time Jim
could not be found, nor did any reply
come to the numerous calls of his name.
I'm ready to guess | know where
he's gone, though, ma'am," said the
housekeeper. II saw him go out the
side gate an roun' the back of the barn
just after got up. So 1 reckoned in
my own mind he'd gone to the fair.
Possessed about that balloon he was,
all yesterday. Just like boys, you
know, ma am" with look which con-
veyed an appeal for mercy for the
criminal.
But Aunt Jane set her lips together,
thinking within herself that for lady
who had never done such a foolish
thing as get married it was really
rather hard to be bothered by the boys
of other people.
But as the hours wore on Miss James
hardness relaxed little. She was
uneasy at the thought of the scatter
Drained boy being at the fair, with no
one to look after him.
The quiet of the place seemed OPP
pressive. She had learned, scarcely
realizing to herself, to like the sound
of the careless shout and rafting talk,
not to speak of the bright eyes which
were so like those of her brother who
left home so long ago as the result of
a trihing quarrel, never to come back.
81 believe I'll drive over to the fair
grounds myself" she observed early
in the afternoon. II really wanted to
get hold of few of those premium
Hubbard squash seeds. And this being
the last day, l could likely get them"
Jim was having a glorious time at
the fair. He whipped boy who was
abusing a smaller boy, dashed in
among a lot of horses to catch hold of
one which was getting beyond the con-
troll of the woman who drove it, found
q lost little girl and walked around
with her for an hour in search of her
friends, drank too much lemonade and
ate too many peanuts, quarreled with
some boys at merry-go-round and got
knocked off one of the wooden horses,
rode donkey in a race, and, after
having been lavishly dined by the
mamma of the found little girl, was
fully ready to enjoy the balloon as
cension.
The crowd was collecting around it,
with the usual inside fringe of boys;
the very inside fringe being composed
Of those happy boys who chanced to
have no one looking after them.
Prominent among these was, of course,
Jim.
He balanced on the very edge of the
hole in the ground in which was built
fire over which the balloon, in pro-
cess of being filled with hot air, bobbed
and swayed in a manner most exciting
and aggravating to boys who could
not get inside the more and more
closely-packed crowd. He conversed
with the balloon man, offering to go
up with him on that, or-remembering
that he was now to look out for his
own hving-any other day.
Think you'd like it, do you?" said
the man.
s'Yes, know l should"
"But go on the trapeze, till l get
clear up. Then I climb into the
basket"
"I'd do that" agreed Jim. You let
me try it."
ST guess you'd better wait Bit"
This was disappointing; out Jim, re-
solved to learn all the ins and outs of
balloon travel continued to mix him
self with matters in n way which
brought upon him more than one rat
ing from those engaged in the imitation
of the big toy
"All ready"
"Hurrah! hurrahr'
Cheers rang up from a thousand
voices as at length the aeronaut
threw off his outide clothing and ap-
peared in suit of gayly colorsd
tights.
'Out of the way" shouted man, in
a voice of dismay.
The shout was for Jim. As the ira
peze ropes which had been lying slack
Strengthened out with the loosening of
the huge ball from the confining cords,
Jim felt a rasping along his neck,
caused by swiftly moving rope. Then
it frightened, and, with gasp, he laid
desperate hold of it above his head, as
n half-noose cut cruelty into his neck.
Cries of alarm filed the air, but just
now ringing with cheers. A dozen
arms were reached out in attempt to
help, but the boy had in one instant
been jerl1ed out of reach above the
heads of the crowd.
Hold on! hold tightr'
Frantic shrieks followed him.
Don't let go, or you'll be dashed to
pieces.
Good fellow! Brave boy! Hold
onr'
The aerouaut had just time to let go
his hold on the trapeze, his quick eye
at once perceiving that his weight