Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-03-17
THE MISSING PAGES.

"Have paper, sir? Something to
read on the train, ma'am?-TimeS
Herald, Sun. All the Magazines"
But the people hurried past Johns
little stand into the station, as they
had done all the morning. Only two
papers sold, and here was noon!
Profit cents. On sunny days his
sales were pretty brisk; but it was
drizzIing. The thick air was full of
falling SCOT. and nobody cared to stop
to buy.
mo wonder they want to hurry
out of this horrible place" muttered
John, looking about at the wet,
dingy houses, the pools Of black mud
through which the horses tramped,
and clouds Of smoke rolling through
the streets He thought OF the sunny
farm on which be was born, and felt
that he never could grow used to this
place Two cents profit! Not enough
to buy a loaf of bread.
John thought Of his mother, and
of the scanty breakfast which they
had eaten together in their bare gar
ret, with its windows opening on the
sooty roofs. II he could but have
had good trade, he might have car
ried nice little treat home to her.
But the crowd hurried past, and no.
body stopped.
magazine, ma'am9 Something
to read on"-
The lady stopped. "Ah, your
books are dirty" she said, dropping
the sooty magazine With a shrug.
AS if he could help that. But he
began blowing away the SCOT for the
twentieth time that day. 1t was
four years since his father died, and
he and his mother had come down
to town; and in that time he had
nothing but fight weekly against SCOT
and starvation.
He opened one of the story papers
for boys. There was sea story in it,;
a boy goes off in the first chapter as
stowaway; in the third, 1.-The gal
liant lad Ieaped upon the deck, aud
the commander clasped him in his
arms" On the next page was an &C
count of a boy going home from work,
who arrived in time to scale the walls
of burning house and rescue child,
for which daring act he was the next
day taken into partnership by the
child's father, millionaire.
Some fellows have such splendid
chancesw said John, laying down the
book with sigh. "Now I've been
here for years, and nothing grand or
noble ever turns up for me to do
Buy twenty-five papers daily; sell
them-if / can. On Saturdays buy
the weeklieS; once month, the
magazines That's the heft of it,
year in, year out. How's fellow to
make living at that sort Of work."
An old gentleman who had missed
the tran sauntered up, and begun
idly looking over the boys stock.
John watched him anxiously If
he should buy one of the six bound
books? Profit on each was quarter
of a dollar! If he should buy one of
those, he would take home a little
treat to his mother after all.
The boys eyes fairly glistened.
For, besides being fond of his mouher.
he was hungry; and The smell of fried
oysters and coffee from the stall near
was almost more than he could bear.
The old gentleman took up one of
the books John thought he was GER
tainly going to buy one. What
should the treat be? A bit of fresh
meat? A mince-pie? He decided
that steak would be best.
"Ha! here is book which I have
wanted for a long time" said the
gentleman. "What's the price of
this, nv boy?"
Those are one dollar each, SIR"
'I'll take this No you needn't
wrap it up I'll read it in the train. +"
He laid down bright new dollar.
John could almost smell the deli
cious steak, and he thought Of his
mothers thin, starved face They
had not tasted meat for days, But
q glance at the book, as the gentle
man dropped it into his satchel, caused
him to say family.
"Stop sir! / did not see which one
you had taken. That is an imperfect
COPY. There are four leaves missing
in the middle"
TOO bad.-throwing it down.
The money, please"
''Will none Ut the others suit?" said
John.
mo, I have wanted this book for
some time"
You can have it for half-price, 81
said John eagerly.
81 don't want a mutilated copy
at all"
John handed him back the money;
aud closing his satcheL the man
walked on few steps, and sat down
ia an open doorway to wait for his
train. He was rudy, fat old gen.
tleman, with kindly, shrewd blue
eye. Having nothing to do he
thought the o, currence over leisurely.
That's an honest lad" be said to
the proprietor of the store in which
he stood. ''He might have cheated
me just now. but he did not"
"Who? John M'Tayish? As honest
as steel. He's been under my eye
now for four years, and know him
to be as truthful lad as ever was
born Of Scotch blood.
s.Um um!n said the old gentle
man. But he put on his spectacles
and eyed John from head 20 foot
i The nexk dav he n1onDed at th{