Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1894-03-16

anment to nsk if he had learned his
Sunday school lesson. He had an
od-fashioned teacher, had Tommy,
aud had to commit six verses to mem
ory each week For quiet he retired
behind the curtains in the bow win
dow and no one thought of the red
ness of his face when he came out.
But when at dinner he ate little of his
chicken, and said he was too sleepy to
wait for his pie, his father discovered
that Tommy was a sick boy, and sent
offor DR.. Sanders.
is it something contagious? Will
| have to give up having the banquet
here?' asked Mrs. Deck, when the
doctor had felt of Tommy's pulse
ami looked at his tongue and his
breast
The symptoms are rather obscure
ju now, said the doctor, who never
toll anything of which he did not feel
yeV sure. There's good deal of
scglet fever and measles, and I'm
bond to say there's smallpox over in
Balad.
Yrs. Deck threw up her hands, ex-
claning, Smallpox
!, ',...tst'rs; but suppose i,e hau-uot been
sr in that region. 1t may be
Eply a slight stomach trouble.
Ehdren, especially of nervous, san
sne temperament, are liable to fever
pIslight causes.
Have you been over to Bagdad?"
heaanded Mr.. Deck of Tommy.
Yes, sir, replied Tommy, unfal-
fmgly. 81 went Yesterday morning
6ih Harry Tucker. We wanted to
H the thing old Uncle Liiah Blake's
hde. It's a man saving wood, and
cs by wind like paper windmill.
Fcle Lijah said he'd whittle me one
two nickels.
Bless my soulr' exclaimed the
fotor. Then he looked at Tommy's
fRcination spot.
1t never took good, you know,
ha Tommy's mamma. "The girls
Fee all right, but Tommy's was con
Fry."
Vow, if any one can have the heart
-p lold rose over hot fire and see
I pickly wilt and shrivel, he can have
Pc idea of what befell Tommy Deck
pain the next week. He did not
r. the smallpox, but something
frly as bad, scarlet fever, and
IT. that first day he knew no
e. He clung, however, close
I to his mother, whom he
Pc1 to be Mrs. Tucker, and he wrung
e heart by imploring her not to go
FF. 81 like you so, he would
fhsper, huskily. 81 'spect I'd like
paama. if 1 could get chance to get
f@ainted with her. But She's awful
pF and I guess she don't like boys
? 'ell as girls. forget and rumple
frbangs and her frills, and [ forget
p@t the forks and the spoons. But
pure so cosy to have round, Mrs.
ip&er, and please do tell me that
EoF about the will bear of County
lae again.
(nluckily, Mrs. Tucker herself was
fH close at home with her boy
fary, who was sick with the dreaded
pl'l-pox, so the story of the wild
ea could not be repeated. Plenty
7 ther stories were, however, and
lns gathered in the pretty parlors,
pdhe spring bonnets came, and still
pf Deck thought of nothing but
Iomy. But at last there came a
'ay and what a happy day it was,
Fhe he knew her, and old DR.. Sanders
'nnlnced that if he did not catch
'olo and if he did not have the drop
~ half a dozen other complica-
'ioh he would soon mend and be
aoo' again. To look at Tommy was
SOY spectacle. His hair had grown
% In, 1t looked like the wiry seed |
Vesss of wood and moss, and stuck |
''raiht up, dry and dead Hischeeks |
"efHhin, and his fingers were skinny, |
ana for that matter the whole
y rs body was peeling. He
lrehled when he tried to sit
Up I'd he wanted to do a thousand |
mn he could not, and if he had |
esereally been an awful boy, he be-
aamione during the weeks of his con
But it was his mother
'sno fead to him, played dominoes
VIII lim, and taught him to use his
par brushes. All things end, even