1907 - Going Back Home

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Roanoke Times - August 29, 1907

GOING BACK HOME

Three Runaway Boys Arrested for Trespassing

   Three little boys, who said their homes were in Durham, N. C., 
were arrested Tuesday night as they were attempting to catch a 
freight out of town. Yesterday when they came out of their cell and 
faced the judge they had the usual story to tell. It was that of the 
allurements of the roving life. The old home had grown irksome and a 
red-headed boy, who had deserted them, told them stories of "hoboing" 
until the wanderlust seized them and they were ready to go with him. 
They had little money and with this and by stealing rides they got as 
far as Bluefield. It was then that they found that the life was not 
as delightful as it had been pictured to them and a longing for the 
paternal roof came over them. They had managed to get this far on 
their homeward journey when the were arrested. The kind-hearted 
judge, having a tender feeling for the frivolities of youth, turned 
them out and told them to walk out of town. They promised to do this 
and will probably reach home in  a few days at the most.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link