Chapter I: Front Matter

[See p. 66]]

A BOY'S TOWN

DESCRIBED FOR "HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE"

BY

W. D. HOWELLS

AUTHOR OF "THE SHADOW OF A DREAM" "APRIL HOPES" "A HAZARD OF NEW FORTUNES" ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS

BOOKS BY W. D. HOWELLS

Annie Kilburn. 12mo.

April Hopes. 12mo.

Between the Dark and Daylight. New, Edition. 12mo.

Boy life. Illustrated. 12mo.

Boy's Town. Illustrated. Post 8vo.

Certain Delightful English Towns. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.

Christmas Every Day, and Other Stories. Illustrated. 12mo.
Holiday Edition. Illustrated. 4to.

Coast of Bohemia. Illustrated. 12mo.

Criticism and Fiction. Portrait. 16mo.

Day of Their Wedding. Illustrated. 12mo.

Familiar Spanish Travels. Illustrated. 8vo.

Fennel and Rue. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.

Flight of Pony Baker. Post 8vo.

Hazard of New Fortunes. New Edition. 12mo.

Heroines of Fiction. Illustrated. 2 vols. 8vo.

Imaginary Interviews. 8vo.

Imperative Duty. 12mo. Paper.

Impressions and Experiences. New Edition. 12mo.

Kentons. 12mo.

Landlord at Lion's Head. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.

Letters Home. 12mo.

Library of Universal Adventure. Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth.
Three-quarter Calf.

Literary Friends and Acquaintance. Illustrated. 8vo.

Literature and Life. 8vo.

Little Swiss Sojourn. Illustrated. 32mo.

London Films. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.

Miss Bellard's Inspiration. 12mo.

Modern Italian Poets. Illustrated. 12mo.

Mother and the Father. Illustrated.
New Edition. 12mo.

Mouse-Trap, A Likely Story, The Garroters, Five-o'Clock Tea.
Illustrated.
New Edition. 12mo.

My Literary Passions. New Edition. 12mo.

My Mark Twain. Illustrated. 8vo.

My Year in a Log Cabin. Illustrated. 32mo.

Open-Eyed Conspiracy. 12mo.

Pair of Patient Lovers. 12mo.

Parting and a Meeting. Illustrated. Square 32mo.

Quality of Mercy. New Edition. 12mo.

Questionable Shapes. Ill'd. 12mo.

Ragged Lady. Illustrated. New Edition. 12mo.

Roman Holidays. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.

Seven English Cities. Illustrated. 8vo.
Traveller's Edition, Leather.

Shadow of a Dream. 12mo.

Son of Royal Langbrith. 8vo.

Stops of Various Quills. Illustrated. 4to.
Limited Edition.

Story of a Play. 12mo.

The Seen and Unseen at Stratford-on-Avon.
Crown 8vo.

Their Silver Wedding Journey. Illustrated. 2 vols. Crown 8vo.
In 1 vol. New Edition. 12mo.

Through the Eye of a Needle. New Edition. 12mo.

Traveller from Altruria. New Edition. 12mo.

World of Chance. 12mo.

FARCES:

A Letter of Introduction. Illustrated. 32mo.

A Likely Story. Illustrated. 32mo.

A Previous Engagement. 32mo. Paper.

Evening Dress. Illustrated. 32mo.

Five-o'Clock Tea. Illustrated. 32mo.

Parting Friends. Illustrated. 32mo.

The Albany Depot. Illustrated. 32mo.

The Garroters. Illustrated. 32mo.

The Mouse-Trap. Illustrated. 32mo.

The Unexpected Guests. Illustrated. 32mo.

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK

Copyright, 1890, by WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS.

* * * * *

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. EARLIEST EXPERIENCES 1
II. HOME AND KINDRED 10
III. THE RIVER 24
IV. THE CANAL AND ITS BASIN 36
V. THE HYDRAULIC AND ITS RESERVOIRS.--OLD RIVER 45
VI. SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS 53
VII. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 67
VIII. PLAYS AND PASTIMES 80
IX. CIRCUSES AND SHOWS 93
X. HIGHDAYS AND HOLIDAYS 110
XI. MUSTERS AND ELECTIONS 121
XII. PETS 133
XIII. GUNS AND GUNNING 148
XIV. FORAGING 161
XV. MY BOY 171
XVI. OTHER BOYS 183
XVII. FANTASIES AND SUPERSTITIONS 197
XVIII. THE NATURE OF BOYS 205
XIX. THE TOWN ITSELF 215
XX. TRAITS AND CHARACTERS 228
XXI. LAST DAYS 237

ILLUSTRATIONS.

"ONE DAY HE CAME UP TO MY BOY WHERE HE SAT FISHING" _Frontispiece._
THE "FIRST LOCK" _Facing p._ 2
"THE PASSENGER IS A ONE-LEGGED MAN" " 8
"RUN, RUN! THE CONSTABLE WILL CATCH YOU!" " 18
"HE TOLD THEM THAT HE HAD GOT THEM NOW" " 44
"THAT HONOR WAS RESERVED FOR MEN OF THE KIND I HAVE
MENTIONED" " 50
"A CITIZEN'S CHARACTER FOR CLEVERNESS OR MEANNESS
WAS FIXED BY HIS WALKING ROUND OR OVER THE RINGS" " 82
KITE TIME " 92
"THE BOYS BEGAN TO CELEBRATE IT WITH GUNS AND PISTOLS" " 110
THE "BUTLER GUARDS" " 122
"ALL AT ONCE THERE THE INDIANS WERE" " 150
FORAGING " 168
"THE BEACON OF DEATH " " 180
"HE ALWAYS RAN BY THE PLACE AS FAST AS HE COULD" " 198
"THE ARTIST SEEMED SATISFIED HIMSELF" " 220
"MY BOY REMEMBERS COMING FROM CINCINNATI IN THE STAGE" " 224

A BOY'S TOWN.

I.

EARLIEST EXPERIENCES.