The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1916-07-20


well for the fact that he was not fond
! OF work. While the men were busy
IN the hay field he would sneak off
and take snooze in the cool loft of
the barn Many were the whippings
his father gave him for this same
trick, and at last the parent declared
that he was tired of Sammy's trifing
ways.
Take yourself off he declared in
anger And don't come back till you
can stay awake or do some work A
boy as lazy as you is not worth the
salt he eats
| So Sammy started off to seek his
fortune with only the clothes on his
, back. The first house at which he
stopped was that of farmer in whose
field was tumble-down old hut. The
farmer gave the lad a dinner and told
Sammy that in return for cutting up
barrow of wood he could sleep in
| the ruined hut. But he did not tell
all-Which was that there were
strange noises and lights seen in the
place every night and no one dared
| sleep there, as it was thought to be
the home of Skeezick
Sammy cut the wood, ate his supper
and by moonrise went to bed on
some straw in a corner of the hut.
About II o'clock that night he was
aroused by a light shining in his
eyes and he opened them to see be-
fore him curious looking man. He
was of an apple-green color from
top to toe, except his beard and
hair, which were bright pink Then
he had great golden eyes that rolled
; about.
Get out of here!" snapped Sammy.
/ 4 am tired and want to go back to
sleep. Go On about your business and
/ don't interfere with my nap"
This infuriated the Skeezick so that
! he raised his staff and hit Sammy a
! hard blow on the back of his thick
head. And at that the boy, for the
first time in his life, really woke up
His mind became bright and clear and
he felt an interest in what was going
on
"All right, sir, I'll help you" he
cried good-naturedly. Go ahead and
l am with you"
At this the Skeezick handed the
BOY a big spade. That thing is
too heavy for me to handle" he ex-
planned But it just fits you-go and
dig in the corner there by the chin
ney and give me the chest you find"
Sammy dug and dug and dug At
last his spade hit the top of a chest
and the lid flew open. The moon
light flashed on heaps of jewels in
its bottom.
Now said the Skeezicks, "you
have done all l wanted of you But
you must take it for me to my den
in the Black Rock back in the hill
behind this hut. 1t is now only 8
O'Clock, but there is a great deal to
carry SO you must hurry If | am
caught out in the air when the sun
strikes the earth, 1 shall turn at once
into stone"
Sammy took up a handful of gems
and soon filed box which was by.
the chest Il got this treasure"
laughed the Skeezick, as he watched
the boy, from the king of West
land. | spent last summer in the
mountains there. Every night used
to get into his strong room and bring
out these jewels The young man
who was on guard over the treasure
could never see me, for l managed
to weave spell over his eyes. But
the King, when he found the treasure
gone, thought this young man had
stolen it and put him in prison
That's rather mean trick to
play-to steal Kings gems and then
let an innocent man suffer-" said
Sammy, as he shouldered the box
Il am not asking for your opinions,
boy" replied the Skeezick. 81 am
my own boss. Not only is the young
man in prison, but he will be. put to
death day after tomorrow as robber
unless someone saves him. The
King has announced that if any man
can prove that someone else did the
robbing, that person can marry his
only daughter, the Princess Adele"
Sammy and the Skeezick stumbled
up the hill. Near the top the boys
feet tripped on a root and he fell, roll
ling to the bottom, the box with him.
The angry Skeezick raced down to
beat Sammy, forgetting that it was
the hour of dawn. At the foot of the
hill the box burst and the jewels