The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-01-20

view to mounting his skates. He was
corrupt to the core, aud a twenty-five
cent stamp o7ercane him Ike summer
rain. He threw down the skates ct my
feet, and tnrned his attention to thg stamp
He held it up 10 the LIGHT, and then be-
tween him and the light: then he rubbed
il between his fnglrs, lis geuuineness
satisfied him, and he put it carefully away
behind lis clothes somewhere,
lis yovr heels bored :" lie asked.
''What do you mean by that ," said.
''Wby, FOR the corks OF the skates" he
answered, looking at rue curiously.
| felt that l bad said something ought
not 10, but / told him to pat on the skates,
az had rheumatism in my wrist.
Eat down on the snow, and he went
| to work. lie was q long time doing it,
TIE snow was uncomfortably moist, aud
my coat was too short to be Of any USE.
sat there long enough TO have absorbed
all the moisture for yard around me.
When he got through ne told ne 10 get
upon my feet. / got part ways up, and
| theu it happened 10 occur to me that iAis
was tbs first time / had ever been liar
messed 10 tao skates ct once The re-
| hection was wcigbiier than would seem
| possible. and | Eat down.
"G2egs you never skated for a living ?"
remarked the boy, taking hold Of my
| hand
''1Sot that ] remember said, faiDtly.
] let him assist me 70 my feet just rs
! party sf young people went skinujug By.
The oesner of tue skates was a phian-
tdropisl in bis way. tie poinied 20 the
party, and said that they were skuiing
round the pond on a wager, and asked
me not to run over them L had all
could do TO resist desire to start in chase
Of the party aud run over them, bat
managed 10 suppress 1t.
Il felt so nice to be On my feet that
! tcld him 1 guessed Id start out. I was
| disappointed 10 one particular. | thought
it would require an effort to stsrt OF, but
it didn't. While | was deciding between
shooting across the pond hike comet,
| and marking out spread>easlo in tie
very centre of the ice, q sudden move
nent of the left SKATE diverted ny atten~
tion, end the next moment [ Was looking
~ tbs lamps through my legs End bump
! ine ny bead fsrociousiy against the ice.
This surprised ne, and IL Interested the
boy. The more SO, as ! held IN my Out~
stretched haRd portion Of the hair that
q moment before adorned and protected
his scalp.
Why, wha; on earth did you do that
for - be asked, looking al me with con
siderable uneasiness and holding bis hand
on his head.
diint make any answer. / saw that
| had created : sensation--5eaides my
! head ache3.
lie hclpei nae up, but noticed tia: be
didn't chow tie entbDaiasR he brought TO
The first effort, and, also, that when he
got me 10 n perpendicular, he showed an
idciinatio0 to avoid rae.
| lie kcp: ere eye on me, aud the other
reyolved toward the shore. This a0gered
me.
Il won't hurt you" I said.
81 don't want you TO-" he answered.
| "N'hy don't you stay by me, then p
asked
"Becauso amt got much hair, and l
amt old enough to wear s wig"
1t was useless 20 argue with hisn, anu
besides, the skates were acting 4 little un~
easy. sly knees were wohbling back and
forth with increasing speed, and I didn't
know bat they might become uRhinged.
"What are you trying 10 do NOW take
yourself apart 7" he asked.
| This query exhausted nay patience.
braced my knees up, ard moved off. l
was again too rufied ] felt very damp
where l didn't want to- The owner OF
the skates was pleased with this uo7e-
ment, bnt not quite 90 Intoxicated with
delight rs to forget his caution. moved
CT about two yards, then brought up SO
quick as to wrench my back, but [ kept
on my feet. However, that crainp in the
back troubled nae, and ] concluded if |
had to crack my spine whenever stopped
l wouldn't stop again. got along for a
couple of rods very well, as the ice Was
cut up here Then | sat down to rest.
| didn't really intend 10 rest there, but as
sat down, thought | mag as welt rest.
Like many amateurs, was careless in
my sitting place, otherwise | would have
went an inch further, and avoided a small
paving stone.
[ felt quite contented here there didn't
appear to be any danger. The proprie-
tor Of the skates didn't share my satisgac-
ton, however.
"Ain't you going any farther p he
asked.
''Not yet" l said
''But suppose it commences to thaw g
1 couldn't answer this, and didn't want
to. A little ahead Of us was an old gen
tleman and young lady. The young
lady was on skates, and the old gentleman
was helping her along. The young lady
was very handsome, and became inter
ested in her progress concluded to
help her.
..Cn1na here ,Afr HinckIcv- and helm nas