The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-01-23
COasting RecoliectlOns.


The boys wers coasting down Syc-
amore street hill last evening, when
John Sanscript and Ills wife came
along. They had been up on Balti-
more street visiting, and were on
their way home.
Just see them boys, now," said
John, as he braced up at the intersec-
ton Of Mulberry street. "It really
reminds me OF the days when I was
a lad. Do you know, Jane that
used to coast down hill on sled that
way?"
'Did you, John?"
why, yes; but that's fifty years
agor
Sanscript scratched his head con-
templatively, and then muttered,
soto voce: "Durn my granddaddy's
buttons, il don't try It'll"
"Try what, dear?" anxiously asked
Mrs. s.
I'm going to coast just once, to
revive recollections of fifty years
ago."
Now, John, il I were you"
~But you are not me, so don't In
terfere. Here, sonny, to lad just
puff ID up the hill with his sled), here,
sonny, Iii give you a quarter to'le,
me slide down on your sled oncep
The bargain was eagerly nailed and
clinched.
BE keertul, old man." urged the
boy, as Sanscript squatted rather
awkwardly on the sled; "be keerful
cay, and don't let her funk one
way or 'tother till she brings up, OF
you'll git mashed"
-Aever mind. youngster." assured
John; "I've been here afore-somt
years afore-but"
But what. will never be known, fol
just then the sled, OF its own accord
started down bill, and even Johr
himself has since been unable to re-
call what he was about to observe
The surprise at the sled's unexpect
ed movement was general.
Look out" yelled the boy.
'Oh, JohnT" screamed Mrs. San
cript.
whoa, thereI" yelled John.
But tho sled wouldn't whoa. /
seemed to have set of down the hill
to beat its best time. John hac
chance only to catch hold OF boti
sides and hold bis breath for fear th'
wind would blow of the top OF hi
head. Tho only thought he had tim'
to foster was that the boy must hav'
creased ss.e sled's runners ss . prac
tical joke. And II this was coasting
he had never coasted. II his recol
lection served him right.
Two thirds the way down the bill
the sled struck an ice humm ock, ant
Immediately his course was changes
to a parabolic curve.
Whacki bangl clash! clink!
The bringing up was SO awful.
sudden and uncertain. Sanscrip
and the sled disappeared as abrupt.
as q shooting star. The sled la.
shivered to atoms against n lamp
post, and Sanscript lay shiverint
In the grocery cellar just opposite
When the of frunner OF the sled col
lided with the lamp post and stoppet
the vehicle. Sanscript rose like cir
Gus leaper and went right on turning
sommersaults to the second. HI
went through the grocery window a
the circus leaper goes through pa
per hoop. All the ginger bread hor
ses and candy apples and othe
Christmas luxuries were disarranged
OF course. The rubbery part OF San
scripts body struck western re
serve cheese on the counter, scatter
ing the skippers In CONSERVATION
The old coaster bounded Ave feet a
an obtuse angle, touching again TO
a second at the .op step OF the celia
stairs In the rear OF the store. AM
then, continuing like a diver into tn
Plutonic depths below. he went fee
foremost through the head OF u hogs
head filled with something soft A
first he was uncertain whether III
contents were Orleans molasses o
melted glucos. Before he had tim
to investigate, the grocer and tw
policeman came down. Tho unhap
py old boy was lifted out OF his swee
pickle and hauled Off to the statio
house on charge OF malicious des
:ruction OF property. The groce
appeared soon after, and compromis
ed. upon Johns paying the followin
bill:
| Window sash. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..NO
Crushed ehsess a.
| bogehead moarree. -
Christmas goods. ......................,...
| Total sT1
Then the boy came in with bill G
i've dollars for his sled. to say nothin
OF the loss OF suit OF clothes. a srr
geon's bill for piastsring sundr
skinned surfaces, and the bill OF
hackman who conveyed the faintin
wife home. In the cooler moment
OF afteIthought, Sanscript reckone
I'D and discovered that it had cos