The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-24
DOMINIE'S SON TOOK
THE STRAIGHT PATH
Returns Home Footsore Be-
cause He Did Not Like
Boarding School Hash.

NEW YORK, Jan. 23.-Christopher
Mcconnell, eleven-year-old son of Rev.
Samuel D. Mcconnell, rector OF All
Souls Protestant Episcopal church, in
Madison avenue, who disappeared from
the Morristown school Friday arrived
at his fathers house yesterday. He
had walked all the way, and was foot
sore but happy.
Chris" had been a student at the
school only for two days. He went out
walking with several of the other boys
last Friday, and when short distance
from the school the dinner bell rang.
It's sound semed to bring touch OF
homesickness and the thought of board
ing school grub" to him at the same
moment.
Say" he said to his companions,
"you fellows go back to your arithme-
tic and hash if you want to. No more
hash for me. I'm going to beat it.
At the roll call before dinner Chris
topher's absence was noticed. A
teacher was sent to search the school
buildings for him. Later searching
parties were organized, and all night
long they beat through the woods about
the school The older schoolboys and
the local constabulary were pressed
into service When daylight came and
not trace of the boy had been found,
fresh parties started out.
But the search was made in vain.
Chris" had made tracks as fast as his
legs could carry him, and by the time
he was missed he was well down the
pike, along which the sign boards read
Jersey City"
The boy quickly reached Convent,
and thence trudged on to Summit,
through Madison and Chatham. At
Short Hills he took the railroad tracks
and followed them to Wyoming, where
he arrived at nightfall. Then he was
hungry. He said yesterday:
'sOh, I'd have even eaten more corn
bread and hash if I could have found
any"
Feasts on Doushnuts.
He lay down in a vacant shed for a
little while and then started again.
Into South Orange he followed the rail-
road tracks, and thence continued on to
Newark by the old road through Walls
burg. Chris" was not broke" He
had a nickel tucked in his trousers
pocket. With it he bought two, big
donghnuts and got cents change. He
munched them walking across the Jer-
sey meadows. With his remaining 3
cents he bought ferry ticket in Jer-
sey City.
Chris" took another rest in the
ferry-house at the foot of West Twen-
ty-third street, and then went on, tired
and footsore to Madison avenue and
up to his house. He arrived there at s
o'clock yesterday morning after tramp
ing thirty four miles and without even
seeing bear.
DR.. Mcconnell received him in his
study and demanded to know where he
had been. Chris" answered that he
had simply been seeking the parental
roof When his father inquired how he
got there the boy lifted up two muddy
and road-worn shoes.
Say pop" he suddenly said, that's
good advice you preach about the
straight and narrow path,
'NWhat do you mean?s4 asked the sur
prised clergyman. @aze..s.s.,,ss, ~. .-.,
"Well, if / hadn't taken the straight
road, I wouldn't be here now"
The ciergyman's stern face relaxed
and he forgave when the boy pleaded:
"Oh, I just wanted to see you again,
dad"
Chris" will have goedrest and then
go back to school, but he Will return
when he tires of school fare whether
the walking is good or bad.