A certain official named Chuang engaged in building the railway had a son about: twelve years old. The lad was on only son and utterly spoilt by his parents, spoilt as an only son in a mandarin's family can be. His mother, whose home is in Kiangsu, could do nothing with him, so sent him to Hankow to be under the firmer rule of his father. In Hankow the boy, who is only twelve years old, utterly rebelled against the strictest regime, and finally ran away and hid himself amongst the passengers on one of the river steamers.
It was not until he got to Chinkiang that the steamer ticket collectors. foun him. He told them he had come on board with a man who had bought and paid for his ticket, but the man had disappeared and he did not know where he was. He told the steamer people where his home was so they put him on shore and he was taken to his mother's home in charge of some one on bourd. When he got home the oung rascal said his father sent him ok. His mother being unable to write a letter asked a Mr. Wang to write to the hoy's father for hei A stRA'
By a strange chance just as the letter was being written a friend of Mr, Wang's turned up from the country, Lo came to sk Mr, Wang to get hit seme work, and in order to obtain his good favour presented him with some fowls. Mr. Wang suggested that he should take the boy back to his father, Chuang Lao-yeh, who would be sure to find him a job, as he employed so many men on the railway.
"In an evil hour for himself' the man On the steamer the boy led in order to prevent him run ning away at night he had to tie his queue tohisown. After many trials and tribulations they reached Hankow. But this was only the beginning of more grievous Young Chuang absolutely refused to go back to his father. 'The poor man was at his wits' end, as the Ind threatened to jump in the river and drown himself if he attempted to take him to his father. When asked what he would do he said he had an aunt living in Wuchang and he would go to her home. So as he could do nothing else he agreed to take him there.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.