Willie Goes into Hiding

A story in the news brought back memories of this incident in the life of William John Glade...

On one occasion Billie Williams and Willie Glade built a dam in the irrigation ditch in City Creek Canyon for a swimming hole. While swimming and enjoying it one day more than the kind we now pay thirty-five cents for, whom should they spy but old Mark Lindsay, the watermaster. No turkish rub, not even a towel were required in those days, and on this occasion they were fortunate if they could snatch their clothes, partially drape themselves and make for the hills before Mark could lay hand on them. To the hills they did go, and after reaching the brow of the hill they thought they could rest and feel secure, but no rest was in sight for those young scamps. One boy chanced to look back, and lo, Mark was at their heels!

Down the hills again the chase was on, but when Billie's home was close, he ran into it. Willie passed by and after the longest last art of the run, bolted into his own home. The folks at home were sewing carpet rags, and fortunately for their chattering they didn't hear Willie come in and sneak upstairs. He being bare-footed added to the security of the circumstance. A large trunk offered itself as a convenient nest for this conscience-pricked chap, and into it he lost no time at hiding. Presently the loud and definite foot of a man was heard on the back porch, and then the penetrating and mature voice of Mark Lindsay was heard to say, "Where's the boy that came in here?" Both grandmother Eliza May and Aunt Bell replied that no one had come in, and that if it was Willie he was looking for, he had been away all afternoon. Mr. Lindsay, like a bolt of thunder, answered that there was a boy in the house who was to be arrested.

Think how this made little sisters feel, who were sitting helping their mothers. Grandmother, however, offered to make a thorough search of the house that her son should be punished for any wrong doing. The sound of footsteps were heard ascending the staircase. Oh, if father had had an inside key for the trunk! Grandmother was now looking carefully through everything upstairs. Now she came closer to the trunk to content herself with a good look at its top, however. She then went downstairs and told Mark that she knew Willie was not in the house. With anger, doubly strengthened because he had failed to capture the boys, Mark Lindsay left the house.

A little sister, who during this time hadn't dared to speak, now told grandmother Eliza that she had seen Willie come in and chase upstairs. On her second search, grandmother Eliza went upstairs and more thoroughly than before moved and looked in everything. She opened the trunk and Willie was brought downstairs, feeling somewhat easier, though, because Mark had left the house. Willie received a scolding he has never forgotten. From this day on Willie deprived himself of many enjoyable times at Lindsay's Gardens because of the great fear he had cultivated for Mr. Lindsay. The sight of old Mark spurred Willie to many good runs his life would otherwise have been deprived of.

Author unknown. Picture of the steamer trunk from www.flickr.com/photos/tomborowski/2640185436/. The name of the water master was Mark Lindsey and, as the link mentions, his amusement park was named Lindsey Garden.