The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-03-04


stantly singing his praises; he could
"out-run, out-swim, out-skate any boy
round At school he fairly astonished
the teached by the rapid progress he
made. At Farmer Green's every thing
about the barn and shed was in order;
every tool had place of its own, and
was kept in its place; the COWS were
sleek; the horses shone like glass bot
ties; the wood-shed was piled full of
wood, and the wood-box and water-pails
were never empty.
Il don't know what should do with
out him." said the wcll-satisfied farmer.
Hes worth mis- weight in gold"
Things went along thus pleasantly
until the holiday vacation. The day but
one before Christmas Mr.. Green b; nded
sealed envelope to Mark. saying. 81
want you to take this to Mr.. Perry. He
lives over on the Cherry Valley road,
you know. I'd let you have one of the
horses, but I've got to 60 to the village
for that load of feed. You'd better put
the letter in your inside coat pocket,
for there's money in it. Its the pay for
that yearling bought. / didn't agree
to pay for it till the Ist of March, but
Perry's just heard that his daughter in
Ohio is very sick, and is going to see
her; consequently he wants the money
for fare"
Mark placed the letter in his ins ide
pocket, as directed, and started on his
errand, whistling a merry tune. The
farmer went to the village, got his load
of nd nl Il
it
Seems to me its about time Mark
got back. It's almost chore time" said
Mr. Green to his wife.
%, may be he's met some of his
schOolmatas on the road, and is having
a play-Spcll. Boys will be boys. you
know" said the kind-hearted Mrs.
Green.
At five o'clock Mark had not made
his appearance, and the farmer went
ont to milk alone faint like him to
dilly-dally when on an Grand. he NUT
tered TO himself. as he tsOk down his
milking-srool. Il hope he hasn't run
away with that money. He's been a
good boy since being here. but what do
| know about his past record? | do
hope he hasn't run away. Not that 1
care so much for the money: bu: | had
learned 10 like the boy"
The chores done. the Green family
sat down 10 supper. All were silent
until the farmer said:
That COY had twenty dollars in an
envelope in his inside pocket. and there
can't be any further doubt but that he's
run away with it. I'd give another
twenty dollars, cheerfully if | could
think otherwise.
Mark is honest. father" said Arthur.
''lIe1l come back all right. see ifhe don't.
don't know. what. but something has
happened 10 him. ! know il. He'll return
some day, if not tonight, and clear up
the mystery"
perhaps he has met with an accident.
Hadn't you better drive TO Mr.. Perry's
in the morning and see?'
Yes. ii 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 con-
WINGED he had seen the last of Mark and
his twenty dollars.
One day about he middle Of January,
just as the Greens had sat down TO dim
ner. the kitchen door slowly opened and
Mark Bloomer stepped in. lie was
poor as a crow" as Arthur expressed
it; his eyes and cheeks were hollow and
he was SD weak he could hardly walk!
At this unexpected apparition Mrs.
Green arose from her chair so suddenly
as to nearly ovarturn the table. Arthur
uttered loud ''Hurrah! 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?"
asked the good housewife as she placed
plate and cup and saucer for Mark.
I've been in the pest-house and I've
had the smallpox" said the boy.
"When I've had something TO eat I'll
tell you all about it. I'm awful hun
gry."
After dinner Mark told his story as
follows:
Although / didn't say any thing
about it, 1 hadn't been feeling we'll for
some time before / went away. /
thought it wasn't nothing more than q
cold until that day went to Mr.. Per-
rvs j felt sick enough to die before I
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 with me at
first. but soon made up my mind | was
coming down with the smallpox. The
day before | went to Mr.. Perrys Ike
Pier told me that Sam Smith was down
with the smallpox and in the pest
house.. About a FORTNIGHT before. you