THE RUNAWAY.
Early on the Monday morning after the events related in the preceding
chapter, Mrs. Preston was seen approaching the house of Mr. Davenport.
She was evidently much excited and troubled, and as soon as she entered
the room, she proceeded to disclose her errand. It was simply this,
Jerry had run away from home!
It will be remembered that Jerry learned from Clinton on Friday
evening, that his truancies were discovered. He had already made up his
mind what to do in case of such an emergency; and the following day he
thought the matter over, and determined how to proceed. The next day
all the family went to church but himself, he having desired permission
to stay at home and take care of the house. After he was left alone, he
hastily dressed himself in his best suit, and proceeded to tie up in a
bundle a few articles of clothing, such as shirts, stockings, etc. He
then went to his mother’s bureau, and, knowing where she kept the key,
unlocked a drawer, and took therefrom a purse containing all the money
she then had on hand, amounting to about thirty dollars. Seeing some
letter paper by the side of the purse, he wrote the following message
on the sheet, and left it in the drawer:—
“i am tyred of staing in this misrable plaice—i am Goeing to see, and
you wont se me again verry soon. you se i took a feu dollars, to help
me allong—you musnt think you can ketch me, so Goodbie.”
Having thus fitted himself out for the journey, Jerry turned his back
upon his home, without one reluctant thought, and hastened on his way
toward Boston. As the family did not return from church until the
afternoon service was over, no one knew of the disappearance of Jerry
till late in the day. At first, nothing strange was thought of his
absence; but when night set in, and he did not appear, his mother began
to grow uneasy. On examining the chest in his bed-room, she found that
some of his clean clothes had gone, and a suspicion flashed upon her
mind that he had forsaken his home. Still later in the evening, she
happened to go to her drawer, and discovered Jerry’s farewell note,
and—the robbery. Yes, her son was a thief, as well as a runaway. I
will not attempt to describe the anguish which pierced her soul, when
she read his heartless message, confirming her worst suspicions.
Bad and unruly though he was, he was her own, her only son, and she
still loved him with the affection which only a mother can know. And
now to be separated from her boy under such painful and mortifying
circumstances—to lose all influence over him, and all knowledge, even,
of his whereabouts, with the prospect of never seeing him again—ah, it
cost her a pang such as she never before experienced.
Mrs. Preston destroyed Jerry’s letter, before any one else could have a
chance to see it; for she determined that no one, even in the family,
should know of the theft he committed. Of course, she said nothing to
Mr. Davenport about this. She called upon him to ask his advice and
aid in the matter. Mr. Davenport was not much surprised to hear that
Jerry had run away. From what he knew of the boy, it was only what
might have been expected. Nor, on the whole, was he very sorry that he
had gone; for he was a bad boy, and was corrupting the youth of the
village, and his leaving the place would be a public blessing. Still,
Mr. Davenport could not help pitying Jerry’s mother, and in spite of
his feelings, he thought it his duty to assist her to recover her son,
or at least to ascertain where he had gone. He therefore advised her
to write immediately to Jerry’s uncle in Boston, and request him to
put the police officers on the look-out for the runaway, should he
show himself in that city. He also decided to go himself in pursuit of
Jerry, in a sleigh, with the hope of overtaking him. But before Mrs.
Preston took her leave, he said to her:—
“I have one more word of advice, Mrs. Preston; and that is, if Jerry is
bent on going to sea, I think you had better let him go a short voyage.
If we succeed in bringing him back, it is not likely that he will stay
here long; and if he is determined to go away, he had better go with
your knowledge and consent, than without them. His uncle can probably
secure a chance for him on board some vessel where he will be well
treated, and then you will know where he is, and be likely to hear from
him occasionally.”
Mrs. Preston said that, for her part, she would agree to such an
arrangement, though she did not know as Jerry’s father would consent to
it.
Mr. Davenport kept his promise, and, as soon as he could get ready,
started off in pursuit of the runaway, taking the road that led toward
Portland. He stopped occasionally at some house, on the road, to
inquire if a boy had been seen travelling that way the day before.
For a while, he could find no trace of Jerry; but at last he found
one house, the inmates of which remembered that a lad, answering to
the appearance of Jerry, had passed along the road on foot, the day
previous. Mr. Davenport now pressed forward, subsequent inquiries
confirming him that he was on the right track. Toward noon, he reached
a village from which a line of coaches ran to Waterville, connecting
with the railroad to Portland. On making inquiries at the tavern, he
learned that Jerry arrived there the evening previous, and took the
stage early in the morning, saying that he was bound for Boston. It
was, of course, useless for Mr. Davenport to follow him any farther,
and he accordingly returned home, and reported the result of his
inquiries.
“Father,” said Clinton, as the family sat around the fire-side in the
evening, “I shouldn’t think you would be sorry Jerry has run away—and
yet you’ve tried pretty hard to catch him.”
“On some accounts,” replied Mr. Davenport, “I am not sorry; but I pity
his poor mother, and for her sake I would like to save the boy from
the foolish course he has taken. But I have little faith that he would
remain here a great while, if brought back. He has been permitted to
have his own way so long, that there is little probability of his
submitting now to the authority of his mother.”
“Well, I am almost sorry that he has gone, too,” said Clinton.
“You ought not to be,” replied his father.
“Why, as to that,” said Clinton, “I had made up my mind just how I
would treat him, hereafter, and I wanted you to see that I have got
some firmness left; but now I shan’t have any opportunity to show you
what I can do.”
“You need not feel any regret on that score,” replied Mr. Davenport.
“It is easy enough to form good resolutions, but perhaps it will be
fortunate for you if yours are never put to a severe test. But even
if Jerry does not return, I suspect you will meet with temptations
sufficient to prove your strength of resistance. A wise man never
courts temptation.”