Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-01-25
OUR BOYS
and GIRLS
o4o4o+oxo+oIososcaO!O
PRINCE sLADuc

was Bladud. Nobl, IN form and fca.
ture, gentle beyond TIE wont Of boys
In those far-off days. ii was small won
der that he was the idol not only OF
the court but of the people rs well.
who looked forward with JOY 10 the
time when he should . lie ovoi them.
Great was the CONSERVATION. there,
fore. when it became known that the
TAR young Bladud bad contracted The
dread disease leprosy, "hich st; ~
like ghost among the rich and tie
poor Of Britain in those times of crude
castom and rude living.
So sreat WAS the terror felt by the
people of leprosy that not "a single
soul thought for a moment OF the pos
sibility OF Bladud's staying on at the
court, and his afflicted father and
well-nieh distracted moth + were
obliged to accord him the trc' tmenl
that would have fallen TO the lot ul
the poorest laborer on their farm, had
he been unfortunate enough to con-
tract the disease
Bladud knew that his sentence
would be banishmcnt to the wilder.
ness. with all its discOmforts and
= erils, AID when his father, aescm ed
with his counci. us in Sos. ion, pro.
nounced OF Punishment against HIM
he was strong enough TO look up with
smile into the belo, ed face tom
with anguish at It's unwelcome task.
The sLile still fingered ON bis boy.
ish, disfigurod face. and a curiou3iy
wrought bracelet gwen him by his
mother, The queen, safely wrapped .
his mai.tc, Bladua trudsed maniully
:; say over the hills and downs of Eng
land
On AID en- walked the boy, and
night had fallen and the mo n appear
ed before he met with n living soul.
Then lie came upon a shepherd boy
watching tis flocles in the STARLIGHT
upon hilltop. Glad or company to
Chez the solitude, the lad welcomed
afud warmly. giving him water
from his flask and food from his
pouch.
i The eyes Ci Bladud fingered ing on
the brown, ha )py face Of the shepherd
aboy. Here was one, thought h, who
was accountable to no man. save his
master, for his actions, md ass red
always of his food, which, tho coarse,
was nearly always plentiful.
I, What d. they call yoI?" nc asked
curiously or his companion.
81 am called Math O. the Downs"
said the shepherd. carelestly. "and |
know great deal of sheep herdine.
IL my family have bee1 shaep herd.
'ers for generations"
Then Wv NUT have frier is near
here Ga ! Biz lud. Thick. yol,
'Math o IT., Dor rs, that c nil a %
become a shepherd on your recon.
mendation?'
Tho brown-faced ahcpAcrd lad look
I'D W crafiily.
Il know you not" said he, "but
pity you. II you really wish to be.
come an honest shepherd lad, YOU
must Sc rid of your fine and costly
garments nd dress even as / 90. We
will strike q bargain IL you will.
will giva you since Dshin outfit an
you rive me the clothes you wear TO
SELL
"Done," cried Blddud. "Now -
rtruct ne in the duties Of Il sh~ ,rd,
my good friend, and r. commend me .,
master at once"
W. en- morning dawned thc boys
Travelled together from one -
owner 20 another without success. No
one wi' in need OF a shepherd. Final-
ly Mat bethought him Of an old man
who was il. need of Il swinchrrd, ana
Bladud, glad of any work to keep lie
in aim, did not DEM en- 1T This
distasteful task.
Take me ia lin, Math,' he said
sorrowfullv. Il ,w:!l even serve him
as faithfully as | NOV how
The swiheherd took 4 fancy to
Bladud at once and engaged him on
the SPOT. What change from prince
ly halls was thisi How tho gentle l;.l
suffered from damp and cold aud the
coarJeness of food ailG clothing pro-
yi1ed for him, as well as from the
disease that anawed at his vitals. But
lie set his teeth and told himself chat
things might be worse. One day he
noticed one OF. the wine acting i'll I'M
accustomed fashion, and upon iryesti-
CATION saw that it was suffering from
the plague with which he was in
fected
Wees passed into months. and to
the physical suffering OF Eladud was
added the mental anguish of the
knowledge that the masters PTS were
daily becoming weaker. His fcyerish
led him last 10 the |
banks OF the Avon, and great desire
or srwhelmed him to drive his grunt- |
ing charges across and explore the |
promising hills invitingly outlined |
against the sky.
Across the River Avon, Bladud lay
down Under an acorn tree to rest and |
recover his breath. All at once. when |
he had fallen partially into a doze, |
squaaling and acamperng of tiny I, ct |
reached his ears, and, Slancing M, |
Bladud saw to his horror the full herd |
IF swine forging rapidly coward a lit. |
le rise in tie ground. In a few mo- |
nents the herd vas out of siPht, and |
poor Bladud raced away in the direc-
im they had taken, with great fear
n his heart that the whole herd was |