," Alfred continued; "he never had anything
until he went off with Capt. Abrams. Now see where he is and I don't
know how many boys have gone away and all have done well. All I need is
to get out of this town and I know I can do something for myself."

"Does Capt. Abrams want to take you with him," anxiously inquired the
mother.

"Oh, no, he never said a word to me about it, but I know I could go with
him if I wanted to."

"Well, where do you think of going?" questioned the mother.

Alfred hesitated a second.

"Well, first I'm going to try it with a circus but I don't expect to
stay long. I'm just going on trial."

Noting the look of worriment on the face of the mother he continued:

"I know I won't do. They almost tell me so in a letter and it's only to
Uniontown, twelve miles away. I won't be gone long," and he caught the
baby up, tossed it up, and pretended to be very jolly.

The matter was gone over and over with the mother who insisted that
Alfred remain at home until the return of the father. If he could obtain
his father's consent he could go.

Lin endeavored to assist the boy by remarking: "Well, if he's jes goin'
for a trial, Uniontown is so close to hum, you could walk back if ye
hain't fit fer the work." The mother protested to the last.

Alfred had been so very liberal in bestowing presents to ease his
conscience that he had but forty-six cents in his purse when the leaving
time came. He was acquainted with all the old stage drivers on the line.
It was his intention to walk up Town Hill, rest under the big locust
trees at the brow of the hill until the stage coach arrived, the horses
walking slowly ascending the long hill, he would get up beside the
driver or crawl in the boot on the rear of the stage coach.

He lolled on the grass as the stage approached. The driver was a
stranger to him. He looked appealingly at the man but received no
recognition. The heavy stage lumbered by. Alfred ran for the rear end of
it. The boot was bulging out with trunks and valises; there was no room
for Alfred. A broad strap that held the huge leather cover in place
over the trunks dangled down within reach. Grasping it as the four
horses struck a trot, Alfred was helped along at a lively gait. Through
Sandy Hollow by the old Brubaker house, then a slow walk up the hill by
Mart Claybaugh's blacksmith shop, through the toll gate, then into a
trot on by the old school-house where his first minstrel show was given,
on