Year: 1876

lney spent muCh oil tnelr Time WhnueIluR y
about in the woods, over the hills and out
} on the breezy sweep of upland, overlook
J ing the river from the other side. Their
falkland they talked great deal--was
of the things they had seen and thought
and heard together-of the flowers, the
stars. the psalms, the miracles, the print
ing-office, the larm Benny was going TO
have when he got to be a man. Some
times the boys swift questions went far
beyond Perky's power OF answering, and
then there would be little silence and
a change OF the subject. Sometimes, too
Benny could not understand why his
friend stammered and looked ashamed
when making inquiries of him about his
mother. But there was no distrust be
tween them and no disagreement; and
when, as they were speaking one day OF
the boys father, and Perky said suddenly,
as if be had just thought of it, "How
would you like 10 have ne Tor a father p
Benny replied, without hesitation and
feeling, "Oh, that would be splendid "
Then they walked home without saying
another word, and when they parted at
the gate there were tears in Perky's eyes
Benny lay awake a long time that night.
wondering what it could mean. and fell
asleep at last to dream that his father
came TO him in the vague white robe OF
an angel, with face that shone like the
sun. And the face was the face OF
Perky.


As the summer wore away Perky's
gloominess grew upon him day by day,
aud he could not shake it off 1t seemed
10 him, also that it took very little exer-
tion to overcome him with fatigue. He
could hardly walk 10 the river ford and
back as far as tho Widow Hamline's
without singular trembling in his limbs
and dizzy sensation about the head and
he would often be obliged to stop and
steady himself against the catalpa tree
by the widows gate. before he could 90
on, he was so tired and there was such q
blur Just ahead OF him Once, when he
was standing there, the widow came out
of the house on an errand 10 aneighbors.
and, rs he lifted his hat 10 her, he sank
down exhausted at her feet; but he pre-
tended that he had merely stopped to
disengage a wanton briar from her dress
skirt, and when she bowed him her
thanks, he stood again like an athlete
He had harrassing cough. too, and
slept fitfully, and in his thin, pale cheeks
were ugly spots OF scarlet. When they
told him he was sick and in need OF
physician. he smiled wearilY and said:
"Ouly little bilious, that's all" And
on the days when he felt so weak that be
dared not venture out.-days that came
quite frequent in that lazy, lethargic
September weaiher,-he was always
ready with some plausible excuse TO
conceal the real cause OF his staying IN
doors. lie consented finally 10 allow
another printer to take his place in The
Clarion oflice-,em pOrarily, and as bis
Sub, " only, for the editor would not ike
il, he said. II he should give up his case
merely because he wanted 10 loaf few
days TO get the malaria out OF his system.
He visited the Office from time 10 time 10
see how his "sub" go, along. and 10 take
look at the exchanges. They showed
him the frs, number OF The new paper al
Konoma, which was to be the Clarion'S
contestant for the county printing, and he
curled his lip at sight OF its double sdyer'
,isements and said the grave yawned tor
paper that started out by leading It's
selected matter. Some days he would
relieve the Sub" for half an hour, or
read two or three galleys OF proof Tor
the over-worked editor; but usually he
remained only few minutes. and many
times he came only TO the door, looked in
as if seeking for somebody, then turned
and went away without speaking.


Hs had abandoned his customary ram
bles nearly a month before; and this fact,
though no longer new enough to be in
itself remarkable, served to give unusual
interest to the report that Perky had been
seen going leisurely down the road again
toward the wood the morning OF that
important Saturday when 1.-The grim
chieftain," General Jim Lsne, was 10 de-
liver his first speech in Seward Center.
Aunt Naomi Sey bod bad called TO him
three times from her open window, but
he paid no attention to it except to quick
en- his pace little, aud she watched him
las stlddy as il she had a bin settin'
ior 10 have her picter took" she said.
until he passed the Widow Hainline's and
disappeared over the hill. Then She
FASTENED up 10 the store and the printing
Office 10 tell what she had seen. and an
hour later the surprising event was the
talk OF tue town. With the afternoon.
however, came "he grim chieftain" with
his speech. and alter an early supper they
had bonfire aud another speech, and in
the novelty and agitation of it all. the
incident oi the morning was forgotten,
and nobody noticed that Perky did not
return. 1t must have been quite O'Clock
of Sunday evening when his absence was
first observed. That some harm had be