The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-06-03
A COMPLETE CURE.
The Story Of the Girl Who Ran Away
From Home.

The Story Of the Girl Who Ran Away
From Home.
II ran away once" began the
young woman in the rocker to some
afternoon callers. cit was when I
was eight. / was terrible child,
and as there were six others my
mother had no time to reason with
me. Anyhow ! didn't deserve to be
reasoned with this time, for / had
walked deliberately over the lace
curtains, which were pinned out on
the floor to dry. I believed | was
pretending I was Mary, queen of
Scots, or some one equally above
caring for lace curtains.
GAS / had been reproved for doing
the same trick before, l was whip
ped for it this time. It hurt my Dig
nifty, and | went upstairs and made
bundle of my best gown. Down
stairs I hunted for string, and
when mother inquired what / was
doing / said | couldn't seem to get
along with her and was going away
from home.
81 had a wise mother. She made
no remonstrance. She merely said
she hoped I'd find place to suit me
and helped me tie up my dress. |
departed haughtily, my mind on
the home of some old friends of
ours, German people. l thought |
could find the place if | followed the
street car track, and did.
"When I walked in they were
glad to see me, and when I told
them confidently l had come to stay
because I couldn't get along with my
mother they did not seem in the
least surprised. I did not know
mother had telephoned them of my
probable arrival.
''They said I could stay with them
always if [ wanted to, but there was
one thing I must remember must
speak German all the time; no Eng
lish would be allowed. AS I knew
about three words of German the
prospect looked black; but, on the
other hand, it was preferable to
home.
E"The family had company, so that
night | had to sleep with the two
grownup daughters.
''In the middle of the night sud
denly woke up with an awful home
sickness. I tumbled and tossed till
finally one of the young women, ex-
asperated by my FRANKS, spanked
me ands ordered me to lie quiet and
let other people sleep if l didn't
want to myself.
"That was the last straw. Even
here l was whipped. If | must be
whipped let it occur in the seclusion
of my home. If heaven permitted
me to live till morning I would go
home as fast as I could. | lay there
seething with rage and wounded
pride, and at the break Of day I slid
out carefully, dressed, grabbed my
best gown and let myself out.
edward home I flew, and shall
never forget my awful sinking of the
heart when / found the house still
locked up and the shades down. I
was an outcast, wanderer. In des-
peration l pounded on the door.
''After ages mother opened it.
She looked at me as though 1 had
been the veriest stranger.
"'What do you want, little girl p
she inquired.
''That was when l wanted to die
right away. My own mother. had
forgotten me-, and in so short a
time!
81 managed to choke out in ter
ror: why, don't you know me? I'm
your little girl. I'm Sue
"'Oh, ohv she said in puzzled
way. But | thought you had gone
away for good. | didn't suppose you
were ever coming back
81 don't remember how many
kinds of angel | promised to be
before she relented and let me in.
But | never ran away again. =
Youths Companion.
Benny on the Crocodile.