BOY'S TRYING EXPERIENCE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4010, 9 June 1920, Page 3

BOY'S TRYING EXPERIENCE.

RUNS AWAY FROM HOME, j With bare legs and feet, Toodless, and with, only a cape as protection from the elements, ;a boy" of 13 years left his father's, home '. on Piuniho Road, in the Rahotu' "district, last Wednesday, and for the remainder of the week ehunned the ha.unts of man. He was caught the other night by anxioxis/searchers, apparently not much for his .strange experience. It was remarkable that a buman being oould have existed out of doors, so poorly'clothed and fed as this boy, during the bitter coltt and wet weather >of last week. The runaway hid in spme bu"sh in / the neighbourhood of his home. Re- ■ turning to the house at night he-took a cake from the safe, and was even 60 bold as to," creep inside and secure some sugar which lie mixed with, water in" a"beer bottle to'forin a beverage. Supported by this slender store of provisions fie managed to exist in solitude throughout the storms of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Saturday, night, cold and'miserable, lie visited his home, but the'obstinate spirit which.had.prompted the escapade would' not allow, him to go into the house and surrender to par-, ental authority. The night was spen\ in moderate comfort in the veashhouse, and 'by daylight the boy was TI P arid away to his old haunts. Serious anxiety was felt by the paxents and their neighbours at the absence of the boy, and search parties scoured the country without success. On 'Sunday nigKt Constable 'O'Neill, of Rahotu', remained in wait arid caught the runaway when he returned with the idea of again enjoyine the' shelter of the wash-house, which provided far more comfortable accommodation than his sleeping the first few* nights.—Taranaki Herald. ;,, ;,,.-,,