The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-12-07
THE
STRANGE BOY
n1.a'.. iazz - =. 1900 C.

WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE

They acre Twelve, hftetn anu fvHf
teen. aud full Of the JOY that washes
tnto ufe with the first full tide OF
youth Al the Manual they had been
making things with their hands In
wood and iron and stone Creation
seemed good to them. And they |
talked making their tomorrow . kind
OF exalted yesterday. which is the way
Of south. An 0le party Of forty-hye,
sitting near them reading a musty
hook that had been OF the list OF best
sellers for six long months. closed the
f hook over his finger 10 mark the place
while he listened 10 the chatter OF
che boys
j There was talk Of a days Walk
In the country Of q raft 10 be mace
Al the river under the scout-masters
direction: OF fishing tackle to be had
AZ the towns store: where the best
rods might be bought; what mlnnows
we're worth. Some consideration was
given 10 the various grades Of khaki
| for scouting suits
They we're good scouts Of the hrst
] and second GihMHfNs anu AAN'i' -
chatter was OF camp and Geld.
The boys we're lying on lawn be
meath he stone yeranda railing
whereon his old feet rested. From
time 10 time the youngsters looked
M as automobiles went whizzlng by
and IN monosyllables checked on the
makers and perhaps the owners OF
the machines, but the checking dioI
NOT stay their talk Of the glorious to
morrows. sllyered and gilded with
yesterdays
aCannedi" sighed the old party
Canned boysf" he repeated.
The boys looked up and, seeins
the feet disappear from the railing
Thirteen rose quickly and said as ht
appeared
eyes. sir what was Il, Father
Did you speakT'
The old party shook his head ane
the boys stretched out again on tht
blue grass. AS he opened bis boob
and fumbled for his place. over the
page top he saw, coming round th'
house from the rear a thin, treckled
barefooted youth. with long trouser
rolled ~ halfway 70 his knees show
lne the lowered calico lining. Sus
penders striped tie shoulders OF th'
| boy's coarse-checked blueandwhite
cotton shirt Twisted into his RICH
suspender was Yshaped stick
wound with rubber. wherein a dia
mond-shaped leather piece danglet
from two strings.
III the marshal sees that he'll ar
rest youl" said the man; and as tn
strange boy grnned the old part,
asked: "Where have you been 81
loneT
The other boys did not seem q
notice the strange boy who grumblet
a. De- sat down beside them
Doing my chores. Old Sooky''
calf IKE 70 never got her supper on
of this bucket. And Old Sooky triet
10 hold up on me. ! think thel
ought 10 make somebody brush tht
flies on while | milk. bet old Sock,
hit me In the eye a dozen times viii
her tail Say. they's mongerful Of
/ kittens ~ the south Slali
The other boys looked up when the
old marty shifted his feet and
groaned
aOhl These are not real boys
they're canned boys An the Other
industries have left the home for
! the canney-why not boy-making
Here boys" The old party lifted
| his voice sharply.
eyes. slrr" cried Fourteen, risins
agllely and saluting
(which one Of you knows What
/ wood makes the best arrows3 Which
one ~ you ever seasoned piece q
hickory behind the stove over ne
wood box 900 winter Cor your bowf ~
you know what bodlrk lsT
Eyes SIR replied Thirteen II
Is o corruption - thf French WORDS
bois dare. meaning wood p the arch
and b. probably 90 Indian trunsla
zion " de- French hah.taut's wor.
describing tire tough sprngy wood q
tht Usage orange. or common hedge
plant
TIE strange boy gr.uned and The OIL.
party answered
-Oh grand NoW fhen Bud yoi
teB Them about the bodark
Tile BOYS SO aown and the ol'
rarity tolk tha words from th'
rnnrr bays magfh and uent %
-Rodark s. 4 bard brown wool an
makes be b,sr bow SOU ever saw
better tan hickory even Pew b1E'
ttat ) knot cseF had boilrf hHw
though 600 ~ them kuea thar ~
Trfr Or re haars he1
aSay. bays the man ADDRESSED him
saf D. tts Faaths whose face
beamed cherabe over the ra.
--surrase vau eld have Bab
Rrfb and DouElas Fairbanks an.
the rreafef scoutuaster In the world
end the greatest football PLAYER
Ell rolled into one right here Ia a.
yard-who would uat In ne bari