Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-03-07

been a good boy since being here. but
what do know about his past records
do hope he hasn't run away, Not
that care so much for the money,
but l had learned TO like the boy
The chores done, the Green family
sat down to supper. All were silent
until the farmer said:
That boy had twenty dollars in an
envelope in his inside pocket. and
there can't be any doubt that he's
run away with it. I'd give another
twenty dollars, cheerfully, if | could
think otherwise
Mark is honest, father" said Ar
thur. He'll come back all right, see
if he don't. | don't know what, but
something has happened to him. l
know il. He'll return some day il
not tonight, and clear up the mys-
tery."
Il think so, too" said Mrs. Green.
Perhaps he has met with an acci-
dent. Hadn't you better drive TO Mr..
Perry's in the morning and seer
Yes, I'd go tonight if it wasn't so
stormy" replied the farmer.
But when, in the morning, he drove
up to Mr.. Perry's door, he found the
house locked up. The whole family
had gone to Ohio. He inquired at
the few houses on the road between
Mr.. Perry's and his own home, but
could hear nothing Of the missing
boy. Sadly, he unhitched his horse,
firmly convinced he had seen the last
Of Mark and his twenty dollars.
One day about the middle of Janu
ary. Just as the Greens had set down
to dinner, the kitchen door slowly
opened, and Mark Bloomer stepped
in. He was "as poor as COW, as
Arthur expressed it; his eyes and
cheeks were hollow, and he was so
weak he could hardly walk. Al this
unexpected apparition, Mrs. Green
arose from her chair so suddenly as to
nearly overturn the table. Arthur
uttered a loud "Hurrahl told
you so - while Mr.. Green could only
sit and stare in open-eyed wonder.
why, where have you been !and
what makes you so thin and pale 2
asked the good housewife as she
placed a plate and cup and saucer Tor
Mark
I've been in the pest-house, and
I've had the small pox, " said the boy.
When I've had something to eat, I'll
tell Won all about il. I'm awful hun
cry
After dinner, Mark told his story,
MS follows:
Although | didn't say anything
about it, | hadn't been feeling well
for some time before | went away.
| thought it wasn't nothing more
than cold until that day / went to
Mr.. Perry's. felt sick enough TO
die before got half way there. My
head and back burned and ached,
and the trees and houses and things
looked as though they were just
spinnin' round. / couldn't think
what was the matter OF me at first,
but soon made up my mind l was
coming down with the smallpox.
The day before went to Mr.. Perry's,
Ike Pier told me that Sam Smith was
down with the smallpox and in the
pest-house.' About Il fortnight be-
fore. YOU remember, Sam and /
worked together in the woods. When
that came into my mind / knew what
was the matter OF me, and | says TO
myself:
1T won't never do for me to go
back home and give Arthur the small
pox. Weak and sickly as he is, he
=ouId die sure. I'll just go TO the
pest-house and bear Sam Smiths
company. / managed, somehow, 10
get to Mr.. Perey's and give him the
envelope. ! told him all about It,
and where | was going, and made
him promise to tell you; but he was
SO frightened, and in such big hurry
to get rid Of me, that l don't believe
he realized what lie said"
He went West that very day,
broke in the farmer, and got let
ter from him yesterday, in which he
SAYS he got the money all right, and
told lie all about your-your-
Heroic behavior said Mrs. Green
who used to be "schoolma am, and
prided himself on having better ed
ucation than her husband.
We'll" continued Mark, IL got to
the pest house somehow can't re-
remember how myself-and the doc
tors said it was fine case; though
what there was fine about it is more
than /. for one, can tell, for l was
sick's a horse. They pulled me
though all right, however, and here
| ain, and that's all tnere ID hoout i''
well, Mark said Mr.. Green, IL
will say this much your home Is here
Just as long as you care to stay.
When you get strong enough you can
90 70 work, and I'll pay you ten
dollars a month the first year, and
more the next, and you can go to
school winters. feel that your
presence OF mind saved my sons lie,
for he never could have lived through
what you have endured. God bless
you " and to hide his emotion, the
farmer abruptly left the room.
Good Mrs. Green, with the tears
streaming down her cheeks, clasped
the two boys in her arms, and said:
"Henceforth, instead OF one son, i
| have two Arthur, you must love