boys from
the hotel, and, in looking for them, was attracted to a saloon by the
dulcet tones of my babe's concertina, and entered. D---- was playing,
and two of the boys were delighting the audience with a comic Irish
song. All the rowdies and rum-drinkers in the town seemed to have turned
out to meet them. I stepped inside of the door, and, with arms folded,
stood looking very intently at them, without uttering a word. First the
music ceased, then the singing, and one by one the boys slunk out of the
room, until I was left alone with the rabble. It was rather amusing to
hear their exclamations of surprise. "Halloo! what's up?" "What's broke
loose now?" I went to the hotel, found the boys there, and a more humble
set I never saw. I gave them a lecture about a yard long, and professed
to feel very much hurt at the idea of finding a boy who came out with
me, in a rum-shop. I gave them to understand what I should expect of
them in future, and ended by having the door opened and extending an
invitation to leave to those boys who thought they could do better for
themselves than I should do for them. As no disposition to leave
manifested itself, I then put the question to vote whether they would
remain with me and do just as I wished, or go and look out for
themselves. Every hand went up, and some of the boys expressed
themselves very sorry for what they had done. W---- D---- left a day or
two after, taking the concertina with him, which I afterward learned
belonged to another boy. The most of my trouble seemed to take wing and
fly away with him. He was the scapegoat of the party.

"'Illinois is a beautiful farming country. All the farmers seem to be
wealthy. The large boys, with two exceptions, were placed upon farms.
Quite a number of boys came back to the hotel to say good-by, and thank
me for bringing them out. I will note a few of the most interesting
cases: John Mahoney, age 16, with Mr. J---- T---- (farmer); came in town
Sunday to show me a fine mule his employer had given him. J---- C----,
age 14, went with Mrs. D----, who has a farm; came in, to tell me how
well pleased he is with his place; says he will work the farm as soon as
he is able, and get half the profits. D---- M----, age 17, went with
A---- H. B---- (farmer); came back to tell me his employer had given him
a pig, and a small plot of ground to work for himself. J---- S----, age
17, went with J---- B----; saw him after the boy had been with him three
or fo