The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-06-23
Pa
: Helps John
To Run Away
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Talking Of running away" said the
jolly fat man, Il had an experience or
two myself when | was boy. 1t was
a favorlte threat Of mine. If | was
sent on an errand didn't like, I'd
mutter that was gong to run away;
if was kept in the house for missing
my lessons at school, I'd whimper that
was going to run away; if l got my
ears boxed for mischief, I'd below
that | was going to run away. Then,
maybe, I'd make a dash for my cap
and my mother would send me up to
the garret without my shoes till | got
cooled off, or else she'd lock me up
in the toolshed with an axe and
small mountain of logs to split into
kindling. We lived in the country, you
see.
"But at last my father got tired CT
hearing the threat | tell you he was
a smart man, my father. No licking
foT him, and no counter threats. He
had game Of his own. He just wait
ed until he got me committed beyond
retreat
81 forgot what mischief it grew out
of or whether it was just my natural
boys resistance to something | was
told to do Whatever it was, know |
ended up the dispute with the fat
footed announcement, I'm goin' TO
leave home an look out for meselluff.
I'm goin' now. SO, there!'
oh, very well, john says my
father as grave as an owl. I'm sorry;
but if your minds made up, it can't
be helped. We may as well part
friends. Come over and see mother
and with that he took me by the hand
as kind and gentle as a patriarch in
a picture in the Bible and begin walk
ing me over toward the house. | for
got to mention that the fuss was in
the barn.
Now you can imagine how my
heart rose up in my throat in that
short walk over to the house | had
been more or less consciously blufing
and here l was, it seemed, up against
the real thing.
About this time we reached the
kitchen door and the old man drew
me in. | can see the picture right
now before my eyes-my mother with
her big, blue gingham apron stirring
crab-apples with a wooden spoon in
big copper kettle on the shining stove.
Ann Maria, the hired girl, was peeling
the potatoes for the mems dinner. My
baby brother was sitting in his swing
chair near the door and making grabs
at the black cats tail as the brute
rubbed to and fro against chair-leg
just out of his reach. Oh, it was SO
peaceful and homelike, and the pun
gent smell Of those apples just went
TO my gizzard.
Then, says pa, as grave as an old
judge, but just as kind and sweet as
honey, Ma, says he, John has con-
cluded it's best for him to leave home
He's going out into the world to make
his fortune and he's come over to teN
you good bye
Well, ma says my father, I
guess we'd best do something to give
him start in life. Just let Ann
Maria stir the apples, and you go and
make him up a little bundle He'll
want a clean shirt and pair of socks
or two and a couple of handkerchiefs
and bring him his good shoes. And
say, ma, you bring me down a dollar
bill out Of the bureau drawer.
Ma started off as cheerful as could
be, and my father turned to me where
l stood, frozen with horror, and put
ting on the fine society air that he us
ually kept for the dominic and the
doctor. he waved me to chair, polite
ly urging me as if | was already a
stranger in the house, with sit down,
John. Take the rocking chair and rest
yourself. You'll need it. Maybe you'll
have long way to go today
He slipped out of the room a few
minutes, and then he came back with
a loaf and the heel of Sunday joint Of
beet and SOME butter, and he began
cutting the bread and spreading the
butter and elicing the beef and making
nice juicy sandwiches with great in.
dusry. looked on with sick sort
of wonder, too crushed even to cry,
and when ma came bustling back,
choice selection from my wardrobe
over her arm and my Testament in
her hand. This was an awful stroke.
1t was so like the stories in tie books
I'm making few sandwiches for
John, says my father, kind O. pathetic
like. He may need them, poor boy,
and he heaved sigh.
"This tapped the springs of my soul.
gave sob that must have sounded