The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-17
VIA A BOX CAR.
A Young Canadian Runaway With
Nautical Warnings.
He Was Picked Up by Good Friends in
This City Who Dissuaded Him from
His Purpose and He Returned Homo
He Was an Amusing Young Scamp

This City Who Dissuaded Him from
His Purpose and He Returned Homo
He Was an Amusing Young Scamp.
A boy reached his Canadian home at an
early hour Sunday morning under rather
odd circumstances. Some two weeks before
the young fellow failed to pass certain ex-
aminations for college, and was put back
for another term, fhuch to the disgust of his
friends, and they failed, perhaps, ,sto take
correct view of the case, and so dealt
more harshly with the boy than they should.
Perhaps there were some other contributing
causes,any way he m ade up his mind to run
away, and carried out his plan one night
when it was out of the question for him to
get any better than rough working clothes
from the house, and at the age of fourteen,
and few weeks he started out, the world
before him, but without money The boy,
who had been well brought up, and who
is OF one of the best families of his section
of the provinces, blossomed out a little
tramp. He had vague idea that life Non
the wave would suit him and SO started for
this city, having for companion another
boy from another section, who was much
Older and wiser in the affairs of this world.
The first start was made in a box car, and
and at last made his way to the top of the
car, from which elevated perch he took an
observation of the country, and held on as
/ best he could. At Island Pond, -he felt
that he was safe from pursuit, as in fact
he,was, for his family never thought of:his
coming East. He is a very bright, intelIi-
gent boy, one who makes friends rapidly,
and SO had no difficulty in getting break
fast by offering to work for it, He then
boarded the train again. this time taking
his first lesson in riding g-between cars, but
an up grade was against him, and he was
put off by brakeman, and from that time
had the difficulties supposed to be- en-
countered by all new tramps in getting on
and off trains. His progress East was made
under difficulties, not the least of his troub-
les being the willingness of brakemen to
put him off the trains. He was so little
used to hiding from them, that the dullest
of the lot found him with ease.
He got here and his comrade desert ed
him, shipping for England. The boy was
stout hearted, and made friends with the
mate of a schooner that was fitting for sea,
and for four days was allowed to stay on
board and pay for his food and shelter by
doing anything that turned up for boy to
do, and that wassin his case rough, and
constant work. But hard as it was tue
poor lonely little fellow saw the schooner
depart with feelings, he said afterwards he
couldn't describe. He was out of money, in
a strange city, home sick and lonely. He
found friends, and was introduced to Rev.
Matt S.. Hughes, and that gentleman was
deeply interested in the manly little fellow,
and promptly assisted him. Then Mr. Far
rell, of the Grand Trunk, met the boy, and
he took great liking for him, and it was
through him that his father WAS communi-
Gated with and was rejoiced to- learn that
his son was safe, but it was not an assured
thing that the boy would go back. He found
a captain who offered to take him to South
America as his cabin boy, and who allowed
him to stay on boardsof his vessel nights,
thus saving the price of his lodgings, as he
said, and that was circumstance of which
he was very proud.
The arrangements were at last made for
his return. 1t was arranged that he should
/ go back, and that all should be forgiven on
| both sides. The boy had however, made
up his mind that he would cast his lot
with the great republic, and when he left
said that as soon as he could do so hon
orably, and with the hope of making good
act here was to call on Rev Matt S. Hughes,
to whom he expressed his gratitude for
favors Wien he needed friends so much.
Mr.. Farrell and Mr.. and Mrs. LaRose,
were not overlooked, and when he left it
was with feeling that he had made some
good friends who wouldn It forget him.