Year: 1874

Bill Stu0DS mad been reading 'Ine
Starry Flag, and was seized with great
desire to initiate the hero of that thrill
ling tale.


Bill was not exactly the boy you would
select as the hero of story. He wasn't
one of your bright eyed, curly-headed
boys, with frank, manly face, incap-
able of mean action. Mol Bills hair
was of fiery hue; AMI his freckled
face, ornamented with pug nose and
weak eyes, was not to inspire you with
confidence in its owner. And, as for
honesty, the fishermen all swear that
there was no greater thief or rascal on
the Cape!


Bill didn't live with miserly uncle
who kept all his money from him, and
nearly starved him. Bill hadn't any
money. His father was dead, and the
old woman, as he irreverently called
his mother, took in washing; and little
help she got from her hopeful son. He
did't pass his time in fishing, and spend
the money he received in books Bill
wasn't such a fat as that He used to
play hockey from school, and loaf a
round the wharves to see the fishing
boats come in; and If he did get any
money, he spent it for cheap cigars.


Bill didn't see why he shouldn't res
cue some rich mans daughter from a
watery grave, and be well rewarded and
received into his family as well as those
fellows in books!


Bill used to loaf around the docks
more than usual after this; and one
morning his attention was arrested by
piercing scream. Rushing to the
spot, Bill saw that they came from the
daughter of Squire Wilson, who was
boarding at the big house on the hill.


Her golden head was just visible as
she tossed about out on the angry waves
Bill saw that here was his chance, and
he struck out for the young lady. Hell
screams were redoubled as she saw Bill
approaching; but he valiantly grasped
her, and dragged her ashore, where heI
franatic father was waiting to receive
her.


He didn 't..embrace Bill and call hin
his dear son, and offer him check fol
thousand dollars, or the beautiful
yacht on which Bill had long looked
with endearing, and sighed for it;
possession.


No! He hit Bill clip over the head
that nearly stunned him, and asked
him, in a rough tone, what he meant by
attacking his daughter when she was
bathing, and insinuated that he had bet
ter leave before he broke every bone il
his body. Bill didn't 60 home that moor
with joy depicted on his face, and an
nounce to his delighted mother tina
they were raised from poverty to affiu
ence; but he skunk in by the back way
and was caught by the old lady ant
most awfully tanned for playing hook
ey and getting his clothes wet.


Bill vowed that'the boys who saved
rich girls in the story-books were
frauds, and he didn't believe sucl
things ever happened. This eyidentl J
had bad effect on Bill, for he went tC
the bad; and, instead of growing up an
honest man, and entering a business
house, and working his way up from
under clerk to partner, and marrying
the old gentleman's daughter, and
living to an old age, beloved by all who
knew him, he joined gang of thieves,
and was caught cracking a bank, He
now resides in an elegant stone build.
ing, supported by the State. He EN-.
ploys his time by breaking stone; and
often thinks what he might have been
If he had never read those pernicious