Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
How Joseph Ran Away.

Was there ever yet a boy of fourteen
years of age who did not think that he was
ill-treated at home?
In a big city lived family whose eldest
boy Joseph got the idea into his head that
he was abused by his father and mother.
They were too exacting, he thought; they
wouldn't let him have any fun, they whip
ped him too often and too severely.
So he resolved to run away. Yes he would
go out In the big world and do as he pleased
and make fortune; and then, perhaps, his
parents would be glad to have him back on
his own terms.
Accordingly, that night Joseph wrote this
note on a piece of paper torn out of his
composition book:
Dear Parents-Pm tired of being kept
down at home. So 1 am going out in the
world to do as I like and to make a big
pile of money. When have lot of it I'll
come back. Your loving son,
JOE
This note Joseph left on his table. Then
he said his prayers, undressed, put out the
light and went to bed.
But he couldn't sleep for quite a while,
and when he did close his eyes he had wild
dreams.
Early in the morning Joseph got up, dress
ed himself, said his prayers, made up a
little bundle of his clothes and stole out of
his room, down the stairs and away from
the house.
After he had hurried around the corner he
began to think:
'Where'H 1 go? What'u 1 do? Who'll
give me breakfast"
The world looked big and cold just then
and home seeemd coy and charming but
n O
seek his fortune.
So he walked and walked and walked out
into the country
BY this time it was o'clock and the boy
was getting hungry. He came to a farm
house. But fierce dog glared at him from
the doorstep, SO that he was afraid to open
the gate.
About half mile further on he knocked
at the kitchen door of another house and
asked for work and food. But sharp
featured woman replied:
We amt got no work nor food for
worthless tramps"
So the hungry lad. his face blushing with
humiliation. hurried away.
He walked for full mile and passed sew
eral dwellings before he could summon
courage to try again. Then he came to a
dairy farm. At the door he asked for work
Can you milk cows?" asked the dairy
man.
No, sir but can learn" was the reply.
here did you come from, and why are
You on the tramp
Here came the temptation not tn tel, tho
truth, for the one wrong step is sure to
lead to another and Joseph made I'D a
plausible story
The dairyman engaged him for Sc a month
and board.
Now began a new life for the boy. He
had to be up at o'clock every morning to
assist with the milking and get the cans off
to the station. Then he had to help clean
out the stalls, drive the COWS to pasture
shock
the cows back to the barn in the evening
heip to milk them and do a hundred and
one other chores. He was glad to go to bed
at O'Clock. His bed was a hard straw
tick. without spring UP in the garret His
1000 was coarse. He smelled of the stable
HIS employer was a hard taskmaster and
kept Joseph On the move from before dawn
until dark va
At the end Of the week joseph was verv
tired. He saw that he would not get rich
soon on S6 a month. He longed for a sight
OF his mother. He resolved to go hack
home o. on
Afraid that if he spoke of leaving the
oalrynan might force him TO stay. Joseph
escaped from his place as he had run away
from nome. He hurried to retrace his stems
ne eApectea TO be received back like the
prOdigal son. Wv
But when Joseph got home nobody took
any more notice of him than if he had
never run away Mother said when he en-
tered the door: "s Gil
fRQm ba
cS!iar ana make fire in the grate-it's
chilly today.
There was no greeting no kiss. no tears
eS joy. -io 'e'ia
Joseph's enthusiasm was chilled. his nrac-
ticeo spec CHI of repentance was left unsaid
HIS brothers and sisters like wise did NOT
seem TO be aware of the fact that he1ha6
been away for seven lonS-leng DAYS: thev
Just nodded to him as if he had come in
from q recess. "
This cool reception took all the glory out
OF Josephs escapade. 1t looked as If his
Ioiks dio not care whether he ran away or
not: 1t was bitter lesson to his self iove
Inc TACT is that Josephs father discov-
ered ms whereabouts on the very dav that
Joseph disappeared, and had an yrd ena'
standing with the dairy man to give the
boy taste of real life. He had told tho
family how to receive the runaway WIN
he came back. "Aei
After that, although Joseph did not mako
ms fortune, he concluded to mt IN 10y
the treatment he received from his narants
ana not run away again from a comfortah,o
home 'do'e
Her Secret.