The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-01-01
SIX RUNAMAYS.
BY II. H. Holdiet.

WE DIDN'T like it at all at school.
wv They say boys never like SCHOOL,
ANYHOW. Maybe. that's SO, and maybe II
tsnr. All / know is, we did't Ike 1t.
sWhy?' Well. I can hardly tell you.
There was plenty to eat-such as II was
and we didn't have to study over
hard, but then, you see, it was school,
ind that's all about it'll zss.1 etlfs
Z Watched all the time, you know, tax
Ing walks two by two, trunks gone over
Every now and then, and the things you
ike must be taken away-espscially
books and papers. Some of us had
taken books and papers to school
Coopers and Marryatt's novels, ana
story papers, no end. They took them
ali away as soon as they found them;
hut we'd had time to read them all first, |
and pretty wen learn them by heart,
500. so .ss ass - i
We were mad enough when we found
that they were all gone, you'd better
believe! We knew there was no use ask
ing for them back, SO we didn't do 1t,
but we held an Indignation meeting in-
stead. = .SSsE .sss7 L<-.s'r : 'oss
There was lots of talk and fellows say
ing what they would Like to- do, but
when we came down to the point, we
couldn't see hut ope.thing to be DONE
| and that was to run away. -
:. OF course. we meant to go to sea.
j Dedham was not a seaport town. and
we'd have to walk 80 miles to find any
i'sea't to 90 to, Bdtswe thought that would
I be easy enough. Only wrought to get
some provisions together first, and we
had to wait bit for that. 80
There was one little chap that didn't
seem much set up at the idea-Ralph
-Wayland his name was. He didn't want
to COUP and said he liked the school
well enough, and didn't like the sea at
all. Said he'd been on it once, and it
made him awful seasick.
But we told him we wouldn't leave
him behind, for they'd be sure to worm
out of him where we'd gomez We told
: him he'd bea sneak if he didn't go, after
. hearing our plans and all. .sNe' shamed
him SO that at last be- said he'd start
with us. but he wouldn't 60 to sea, he'd
!. go home. So we said that would do
only we Called him a coward. He
Z laughed, and said maybe he was; he wa!
|. afraid Of being seasick, anyway.
Z 1--WE waited long while before q goot
& time came. At last we'd got quite a 10
k OF things together that we'd saved from
/. i Our meals-bread and cheese and mea
q and such. To be sure, the bread wa
r pretty dry and crymbly, and the chees
e hard, and the meat-well, we SHOULD
5. have made an awful row about eatinl
!. It at table, but we thought when we go
j hungry we shouldn't mind it-much.
s.. Then there came night when tn
IL principal ana most of the teachers wer
I. to go to party in the town, and W
~ thought that would be the best time
C.. go. .sxsr,as. Af... =. /, ::s.tsx.r ~
81 We didn't have very hard work to e
r of. So many of the teachers wer
in away that the rest couldn't keep yer
id strict watch. There were six of us, an
r. .firstone and then another slipped aWa.
ID S till Ralph and were left. = !: t,,4.s
It, SHOWS our time Ralph ! said;'
he Elast. -.ss- .s-s sf - 80
ct :. And Ralph got up with q kind of sig
n. md came along.
is 81 elm not going to sea with you, Je q
as syon. know" said Ralph when we We
It, safe outside. SIN only just going
he + Helloi"- exclaimed he, STOPPING .sho
m. all of,a sudden. WHATS that?" Y
vn We vera Bdst passing the house'oft1
ee, / principal. 1T stood quite near the ssho
st / building; hut the trees were se.thf
% all around II that, a little way of, "
nv Ecouldpy see it at all. sr,s $.
re Rs5bA was staring up at the windov
lie. 4 % HARD that I stared too;, but ! did
wv re much-only lights moving about II
ay IAafrs, and now md then shadow pa
RS 4 Gk between item and the Windows
RS, s'Come along, Ralph" Fisaid. 81
nd only the servants having a frolic VIII
lst their masters and mistress are away
er. s"They don't keep any servants" 81
Il Ralph, in; kind of whisper. IN
me Minors q New England woman, a
lev she does her own work. Besides, Jer,
,si- Isaw the shadow3fa man cross the "
be. dow. What doef it meanr'
MeanY. Well, 1felt Sort Of cold; br
put on big air, and replied:
Il don't know what it means, Ralr
ny but it's mono of our business, anyht
= 4 Come along. Were to meet the feA0
at. Crosstree's Oalk, you know. and,
haven't any more than time.
1.-THE other fellows may go.n.. s
lea Ralph. He spoke low, and his face
=. queer, set sort OF look, as the Ii,
OF ehone on it. I'm goins to see w
this means before 1 stir another s
my further. Will you come. Jerry?" :