Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-11-12
stltd alismllanp
THE HoP-sCOTCH CLUB,
apnt. Mr.. wilkins. just listen

old Mrs. Smith to start out and try To-
get up Hop Scotch Club. Who ever
heard of female playing such a game
as that2 1t amt decent, | tell you.
It's a good enough game for one
legged man, and if you choose to have
n leg sawed Of, you can dance round
as much as you've a mind toj but you
shan't do it until you're a cripple il
you shall, then I'm dutchman."
"WillIins, you know I"
"a pretty looking spectacle you'll.
make of yourself, standing on one Of
those old fourteen inch feet"
"Wilkins, I'll break"
"Standing on ono Of those hools,
kicking around after an oyster shell,
and putting your toe on the line ard
getting out, and having to 60 back
and pitch for your place. Whose
going to pay for the old boots you
scuff out, I'd like to know? l want
you to understand / amt, I'm not
going to go round every week buying
shoes to cover those feet, and creating
a panic in the leather market. Not
ifI know myself amt"
Ifyou will only let me explain, Mr..
Wilk-"
"You can't hop anyhow. You
couldn't stand on one leg to save your
life; and even if you could, do you
suppose | want my wife TO go waltz
ing around this hemisphere like a tur-
key with a sore toeY Hop2 Why,
you couldn't hop any more than a
cameleopard could turn back somer-
sault; no you couldn't. You just
might as well try to split log Of wood
with a slice OF watermelon as for you
to endeavor to hop. liyou are so fond
of hopping, I'll get a hopper and have
you smashed up TO atoms. / wish to
gracious that could be DONE"
"Ain't you ashamed to talk in
that"
"The next / expect you'll want TO
be sauntering around this land of the
free and the home of the brave playing
match games, and having your name
published in the newspapers as the
Great Hop-Scotch woman, and bring
disgrace and misery on your family.
But it shant be done with my consent
If you 60 Tipping around at any OF
these games, hang me if l don't get
the first policeman can find TO grab
you as a maniac, and put you in a
straightjackot, if l can buy one big
enough to fit you. It's too seandalous
for anything"
"Mr. Wilkins, you behave like a
perfect"
"And you are Just the kind Of woman
10 60 to work and try to be at the
head Of the business, and lay yourself
out to win the champion belt, and to
20 around challenging some other
feeble minded women, and spreading
yourself on matches. Why, it's ride.
ulous. I'd like to know what you'd
dowith the belt if you got it, anyhow
No belt, you know, is going to reach
around that waist"
"AIr. Wilkins, what do you mean !
III"
"You might just as well try to buckle
a skate strap around church steeple,
yes you might. You're going to try
for the champions belt! Well, ifthat
amt amusing And then, suppose,
if you win the stakes you'll come
around here aud spend the whole ol
the money on spring bonnets, and
teach your neglected children vanity
and pride But /"
"Wilkins, you're so silly"
"But l just want you to bear in mind
that Iput up no cash foryou. won't
shell out any money for stakes. In
my opinion you'd better a plagued
sight stay at home and cook steaks
for your family. When you die, I'll
drive stake into your cold and silent
grave to hold you down. That's"
"Wilkins, you shan't talk in that
scandalous-"
"That's all the stake you can get
out Of me, unless you carry on your
tomfOolery SO long that Ill be obliged
90 drive stake into the back yard,
and tie you to it by your Hop-Scoteh
Leg, like some old hen, to keep you
from wandering of. And that's Just
what it's going 10 come to, in my
opinion, let me tell you"
"You know ! never thought Of such
a."
"And | don't want you to 20 prac.
tising out here in the street with the
boys in the afternoon either, just re.
collect that, will you? If you must
Hop-Scotch, go down into the cellar,
out of decent society, and you can
hop Scotch, or Irish, or High Dutch,
or any other way you want to, but
keep out Of the streets; / don't want
this community to see an old pullet
like you"
"Wilkins, Ill scratch"
"Like you bouncing around over
the pavement among a parcel of boys,
creating frstolass earthquake every
time you hop, aud very likely gettirg
the city authorities down on you for
breaking in the culyer;s; and you'd
a good deal better stamp around some
where where they want tho cobbl,