Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1875 — Adventures of two Runaway Boys. [ARTICLE]

Adventures of two Runaway Boys.

About live months ago two lads, one eight years of age and the other thirteen, sobs of Mr. Rockiey, a business man of Rochester, were scat by him to * store in that city to porduse some goods for the house. He gave thorn » check for twenty dollars to pay for the articles, and on their way to the store they loot the check. Fearing to retupn without it they ran away. For weeks they tramped together, the elder one working whenever he could get work, and supporting the younger. Mr. Hockley was almost heart-broken over their disappearance. The ease was put in the hands of the Rochester police, and advertisements inserted in all the prominent papers in the country giving a full description of both lads, and offering a reward fear a dew to their whereabouts, but time rolled on and no tidings came. Meanwhile the two boys found food and shelter as best they could, traveling by day and sleeping in barns and outhouses by night till, cold weather coming on, the elder one fonnd himself no longer able to properly care for his younger brother, and he resolved to place him in some institution. They arrived at Albany or Troy, and watching an opportunity jumped on the banter and coupling of a locomotive bound south on the Hudson River Railroad without a train. In such a perilous manner did they ride twenty-five or thirty miles, the older one holding the younger till a train was reached, on which they rode to Yonkers, and there the younger lad was put in the almshouse, the authorities afterward sending him to the House of Refuge. A gardener who resides on Southeast avenue, Poughkeepsie, formerly resided at Rochester, and he has a son who was down town on Friday last at the Holly Tree Tan and there espied the older Rockiey brother, having known him in Rochester. He asked him what he was doing there, when Rockiey told him his father was dead and he had left home. The gardener's son told his father of the circumstance, when the latter telegraphed to Mr. Rockiey at Rochester that his son was here. The next day (Saturday) Mr. Rockiey arrived and found his boy. He questioned him about his younger brother, when the older one told him where he had left him. Mr. Rockiey left him till he should go to Yonkers. There he found out the details of the transfer of the younger boy to the House of Refuge and proceeded thither. The little one did not at first recognize his father, hut as soon as he made himself known the feelings of both gave way. He brought him hack to the city on Saturday night and put him face to face with his elder brother, when both laughed and cried alternately. The father had brought abundance of clothing with him for them, and after fitting them out anew started with them on a late train for Rochester .—Poughkeepsie (N. T.) Eagle.