Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-01-02
Joey's Trip
(By Frances Harmer. }

(By FRANCES f1armer.)
Joey was only seven when his father
took him to town, seven miles from the
farm. He had been such good boy in
school, listening so quietly when teach
err told her class about nature things,
that mother told father he ought to
have treat. Just before he climbed ur
into the wagon, mother said to joey:
Don't talk all the time, dear. If faith.
er is very quiet let him think
Joey had always been taught to lei
people think" and, as father did seem
to want to be quiet Joey sat still and
looked at the things on the road.
First, he saw three elms. Teacher had
told the children they were elms. and
had spelled the word on the board. A
little further on there was stream
with a little waterfall dashing down
over the stones. Then father stopped
thinking for time, and Joey knew ne
could chatter to his hearts content,
which he did. After mile, when the
road was very straight, father took out
some papers and let Joey hold the rens,
and saw dig, black walnut-tree and
field of black-eyed Susans. All the
way along, Joey noticed and noticed,
always trees, or waterfalls, or flowers
that teacher had talked about. Just be-
fore they entered the town he saw five
elms in a row.
The town was small one, but 1t
seemed very large to joey, who had
never seen so many people before.
Father took the horse to a stable. and
went from place to place buying house
hold things for mother. He met some
people he knew, and then he and joey
had dinner. After dinner, father had
more places to go to, and then 1t was
Joey never knew how-they were sep
arated. A group of people squeezed be-
tween them, and joey could not rum fast
enough to catch up again lie cams
suddenly to a corner, with more peo-
pie, and father nowhere in sight.
He was very frightened, but he did
not cry. He went on, trying to catch up
so fast that no one though. ne was
lost. If they had, he might have recelv-
ed help, for by that time his father was
running back quite fast to ind MS ut
tie son and asking every person he met
if he or she had seen a little boy look
ing lost
At last, when his legs ached and the
tears would cCne, joey saw five Gins IN
q row. Then he was on the road to
home. He dried his eyes with the hand
kerchief mother had put in his pocket
the very last thing, and he forgot how
his legs ached. He went on and on.
Whenever the road forlled into two,
he knew which turning to take because
he had noticed that such a tree or such
hedge was on the right hand side.
| Now, he was careful to keep right-hand
things on his left, for teacher had told
them to notice that, too
When he had gone about five miles.
his steps dragged sadly. The ache had
come back, and come to his feet, too.
He was very hct and very tired, and
| tears had made clean channels down
dusty little face. But he struggled
bravely on, passing black-eyed Susans
and the walnut tree. and still on, until
he saw the waterfall. That cheered him
very much. He took drink from the
stream, and washed his face, drying it
on the useful pocket handkerchief,
| which he hung on his shoulder to dry.
Then he went on and one. until he was
seized with 9 new fear. He was afraid
| that somehow he managed to find the
wrong road. For there were trees he
did not think he had seen before, and
| flowers he was sure he had not. Can
! travelling over that part of the road on
| which he had talked to his father, and
not noticed. But he dared not turn
/ back. He went on, watching and watch
ing. At last, to his great joy, he saw
| three tall, straight elms. Now, he knew
| he was near home.
In few minutes, the lane was In
sight; few minutes more. and he was
at the end of it, and in his own yard;
and then he was where it is nicer to be,
when you are tired and hot Cor cold)
and hungry and scared, than any other
f, place in the w .d-his mothers arms.
AS soon as she understood she ran to
the store to telephone to the town, that
! father might know his boy was found.
Then back to Joey she went. and soon
| he was clean, and in clean clothes, and
! eating hot bread and milk.
Mother" he said, as he finished the
! last drop, isn't it Il good thing teachas
makes us notice 500"