The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11
THE STORY OF JOHNNIE"
MIR. T.. o. LaughIin's Pleasant Record
of Boy Life on Farm.

readers since a part of his history appeared
In these columns Two or three years ago
Mr.. Laughlin, who is a resident of Paris
H.. began sending to the Sunday Journal
sketches of boy life which proved so at
tractive that, at the EDITORS request, he
continued them beyond his original inten-
ton. Many complimentary things were said
of them as they appeared at intervals dur
ing the year, and the author was urged to
put them in permanent form. This he
finally concluded to do, and, gathering to-
gether those that had been printed. he re-
vised them and added number of chapters,
making Of all a connected record of a coun-
try boys experience which he has here pre-
sented in book form.
johnnie" is not fiction, nor a tale of ex-
citing adventure; it is a record of the ex-
pcrierce of a boy on a farm and bears evil
dence of being drawn from life. 1t is this
realism that makes it so attractive, es-
pecally to readers, men and women, whose
early life was spent among rural surround
ings. There is nothing unusual about
Johnnie he is just an everyday boy such
as may be found on any farm in any neigh
borhood, but It is this very likeness to all
other boys that makes his acquaintance so
agreeable. Details of his experience may
differ from those of others, but his sensa-
tons and emotions, his hopes and ambi-
tions, and his gradual evolution from child
hood into youth anxious to break away
from the country home and enter the
world are so much part of the history
Of every oLner boy in like circumstances
that the reader feels that he is being given
transcript from his own youth. The Boy
appears frequently in literature, but he
never grows WeariSOme there as he some
times does in actual life; the interest in him
IS perennial. Mr. Laughlins Johnnie made
his debut in school and in the book at the
age OF six, and soon had his first love af-
fair, his first fight and his first whipping.
The punishment by the teacher being sup
plemenlo~- by similar treatment at home,
his spirit was deeply wounded "Johnnes
his chromcler was desperate. SO rebel
HOus was his mood that he deliberately
o bed Wfhogt Wasb PfyeT his a feet wff e
kicked the cover off the bed, and had
a notion to die. There some
consolation in picturing his mothers grief
ami the distress of his teacher when he
should be discovered next morning, beaten
and starved and frozen to death. But so
that he soon passed from the mere concep-
tiOn 10 the absolute conviction of impending
dissolution Then IN IA ne grew frigghte eI1
I lay me down to sleep anxiously on peni-
tent knees. This solemn duty having been
performed. he felt more calm, and once
thoughts Probably his wounded spirit
would take its upward flight about mid
sleeping; but in case it did not, in case he
should open his eyes upon the cruel world
again tomorrow, he resolved to run away.
II had come to this. There was no use
trying to be a good boy in a community
where the wicked were pardoned, while the
upl ight were trOdden in the dust. He
searched through his meager knowledge of
geography for a cline that would suit him,
and finally hit upon Ethiopia. He would
take box of stove polish along, and. black
ing his face. become a fierce little cannibal
boy and heather, and if missionaries from
dark America came fooling around he would
help eat EN-. With this soothing reflection
he fell asleep. He proved to be still alive
next morning, and so very hungry that he
decided to take breakfast once more with
his Obdurate parents.
He had his dreams of what he would do
when he became a man. After visit to a
temperance revival he conceived the idea
that il would suit him to be a reformed
Orunkard. Later he went to the circus and
at once resolved to practice trapeze per
forming until he was fitted to enter show.
He had the usual boy experience of doing
chores and desiring ways of Sinking them.
He found a companion in the hired man,
Eph. who initiated him into the mystery of
ghosts. or 'ha 'nts." 'HantS," explained
Eph is the remains of dead folks-more
especially them that's been assaSsinated,
that is, Northumberland? They're kind o
like sperits, We know. After so long time
they take to comm back to yearth an
ha'ntin the precise spot where they was
murdered. They always come after dark,
an tia diffrunt shapes they take on is sur
prism. / have seed ha'nts that looked like
sheep, an ha'nts that looked like human
persons; but lots of EN- We can't see a-tall,
bein' invisible, as the sayin' is. Now, fer
all we know, they may be ha mt settin'
right here betwiXt us, this minute!"
Do they hurt people. Eph"' the boy
Eph gave another chuckle mot if We UNI
derstan their ways he observed. IF ye
let EN- alone an don't go foolin' round
their ha Min ground they never harm ye
But don't we never trifie with no ha'nt,
sonny l knOw'd a Teller t thought twas
smart to hector EN- an said he wasn't
Ov,a4 f.aF n rODLr Of
Here Eph paused.
What happened?" gasped Johnnie.
pb 9gs year from the That liens cove TsPed
hat by lightnin'; in three year his boss
kicked him an busted rib; an in seven
year he was a cOrpseo'
Johnny had his experience in fishing and
swimming, and also had occasional glimpses
Of another life. Going to the county fair
lay over the world that morning! How gay
ly, how m8dly the Kaleidoscope landscape
ciFcle,t on countless pivotS as the wagon
rumbled on! Backward the fences and trees
Of the foreground slipped, smoothly, silent
y. While those in the distance rushed ever
forward, until Johnnie almost convinced
himself that he was really standing still be-
tween two mammoth revolving planes of
scenery. Once they passed a field where a
boy OF his own age was laboriously cutting
weeds. and the sight made Johnnie sick He
wondered how any mortal could work in
that lonely, hot field and the fair going on!
brutes."
He learned to pillow, he learned the mys-
tcl1eS of nature, the ways of birds and ants.
squirrels and bees and the peculiarities Of
trees and plants-knowiedge of a sort that
Ii learned to value greatly in later years.
1T Is only after spring has waXed into
summer vs. the author, land youth has
Waned into manhood, that the boy, having
become a reflective being, and having lost
that sixth sense OF insight, becomes i'm
pressed unduly with the outward charm of
things Remembering the bygone happiness
OF spring and recalling its sweet symbols.
he is apt TO attribute the one to the other
knowing not, in the ignorance of maturity
that II was potential joy which brought
forth bloom and song, and not they which
caused the joy"
Johnnie has his bashful period, and at
thirteen an ardent love affair, with a part
ing the end that left him in gloom for sew
erai days. He passed, in short, through all
by environment, and finally came TO the
time when his early ambition was realized,
and he left the farm and became an active
factor in village life. 1t is a pleasant rec
}rd AID one that many readers Will ENJOY,
because it is so nearly a transcript of their
Vsn lives Boys themselves, while not being
suthOr does of the events described, viii
laughlin has told old story in a new
way and the result is most pleasing.
The volume is made the more attractive
b the numerous Illustrations which are
f0m photographs and a remarkable ex-
euple of the successful use of this form of
at. Unlike many drawings made by the
h-4 -rffe they really ifinCf q he