Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-20
Copyright. 1913. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)

Young Fitzhue Barton could have
spent his college vacation on yacht
in the woods-at the mountains or
the seashore, but there was nothing
romantic about that.
If he went yachting, there would be
the same water all the time, and there
would be the same simpering girl.
If he went camping, there would be
rainy days to wet the salt and dis
solve the sugar.
Summer hotels are about all alike.
The scenery is made to order; so is
the. bill of fare; so are the guests.
Mother" said young Barton's sis
ter Nellie, with some excitement in
her tones, as she came back from the
postoffice one day, what do you
think that son of yours is up to
now"
why, he hasn't been suspended,
has he!" was gasped in alarm.
mot quite yet; though suspen-
sion by the neck for few minutes
might be great moral lesson to
HIM"
What has he done?"
1--WE three were to go to the Cats
kills for six weeks"
That's what you planned"
"And that selfish Fitz has knocked
1t all over"
What! Isn't he coming homer"
mot even for a day, he says. He
and two other crazy young fellows
Of his class are going on a walking
tour of 400 miles They are going
to turn tramps and seek adven-
lures"
HE is not going to do any such
tr1ing!' Indignantly exclaimed the
mother. "You write to him this
minute that forbid it,"
Miss Nellie laughed and the
mother subsidized. A letter was written
in day or two, however. It was very
brief and did not contain joke from
start to finish. All 1t said was:
"You are mean old thing"
Yes, that was the program of young
Fitz Barton and his two chums. He
had never walked mile. on the high
way in his life, but he was going to
walk 400 of them. The trio would see
farmhouses-pass through villages =
meet up with COWS grazing by the
roadside-get rained on-sleep under
straw stacks for the novelty of it, and
and
That tramp would be a glorious
thing for the health. At the end they
would be as rugged as buffaloes. One
of the adventures they were sure to
meet with was arrest as tramps. They
might even decide to take ten days
in county Jail In order to get the
experience.
The day arrived and the trio set
forth. The set-free young men halted
in the middle of the road after the
first mile and shook hands and vowed
they would die for their country as
soon as Japan was ready to pitch in.
At night they rubbed their tired
legs and thought Of touring car.
Within a week there was only one
young man plodding along the high
way, and he wasn't taking much in
terest in the scenery.
Young Barton had stuck. One Of
his traits was perseverance, and as
he had disappointed his mother and
sister he was ashamed to give up his
jaunt.
Adventures? They surrounded
him. He was bitten by dogs, he was
licked by cows, he was licked by
farmers hired men, he was chased
from kitchen doors, he was rained on,
he was threatened with arrest and he
was arrested. When he told the
Judge that he was no tramp and
brought out his references to prove
it, his honor exclaimed:
do you mean to tell me that you
are walking 400 miles just to see the
country on the roadsides?"
Certainly, SIR was the reply.
"Well, don't believe it. You
look like an intelligent young man,
but there is something wrong with
you. In fact, I look upon you as a
suspicious character!"
Then you must doubt my refer
ences?"
~ do, young man, and you will have
to go to jail while I investigate
them"
At the end of five days the young
man was set at liberty, and the judge
said:
"You are at liberty to go, but let
this be lesson to you"
"How a lesson?"