Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-26
I" Painfully Modest"

ion as to whether young ladies can
properly indulge in the sport oi
coasting, or, as the boys OF the last
generation used to call it, sliding
down hill. In some communities,
the youth of both sexes coast in the
winter evenings without scandal,
though for some unscrutable reason
it is held that the amusement must
not lie indulged in by daylight, or
even on moonlight nights. In other
communities, coasting is regarded
by all well-conducted young ladies
as a gross improperly, and is even
publicly preached against by Tai
magian ministers as one of the
sports that kill. This latter opinion
prevails in West Meredith, N. H., =,
and the recent tragedy which oc-
cured at that place is by some peo,
pie believed to have been the direct
result of the local commentator of
feminine coasting. 1t is only fair
to say that quite another interpreta-
tion may be given to it, and it may
be argued that had public sentiment
in West Meredith been in favor of
feminine coasting, the tragedy would
not have happened. In fact, it is
difficult to say where the RESPONSE
bility for it really rests, and there
are those who insist that it was en-
tirely owing to the fact that Mr..
Hopkins was to an unprecedented
extent a conscientious and good
young man.
The blameless Mr.. Hopkins was
model for all the local young men,
inasmuch as he was absolutely with
out thesfaintest trace OF an objec-
tionable habit. ,Curiously enough,
the young men declined to model
themselves upon him, and the young
women, in spite of the fact that his
respect for women in the abstract
and the concrete was simply unpar-
allied, did not look upon him with
favor. Miss Brown was an eXcep-
ton to this rule, and she tolerated
Mr.. Hopkins to such an extent that
he fell modestly in love with her.
The two were not positively on the
footing of lovers, since the young
man IS respect for. her was 80 great
that he never ventpred to make a
formal proposal, but it was gener.
ally understood that he would ulti-
mately brace himself up to that
point.
One evening, or to be exact, last
Wednesday evening, Miss Brown
asked Mr.. Hopkins to take her to
top of Latham's hill. and let her
slide down it just once. The pro-
posal shocked the young mans finer
instincts, but the young lady persist
ed, and finally asked him if he was
so lacking in respect for her as to
believe that she could propose any
think that was not strictly proper.
OF course, after this there was moth
ing to be said, and Mr.. Hopkins,
surreptitiously borrowing Master
Charles Browns sled, escorted the
rash young lady by the back road to
the top of Latham's hill.
The hill was long and steep one,
and, as it was nearly 8 o'clock, not a
soul was visible in the clear moon.
Mr.. Hopkins sat down on the for
ward part of the sled and Miss
Brown kneeled behind him, steady
ing herself by placing her hands
lightly on his shoulders. Every
thing being ready, Mr.. Hopkins
stal ted the sled, and in few seconds
they were flying down the hill at a
speed of about fifty miles an hour.
Near the bottom of the hill Mr..
Hopkins perceived a board which
had apparently fallen from wagon,
end lay directly across the road.
To strike it would insure disaster,
and Mr.. Hopkins turned the sled
out of the direct course to avoid it.
The result was frightful one. The
sled struck a stone, and Miss Brown
was shot with fearful velocity over
her conductors head, and landed
head downward in huge snow
bank.
When the young man came to
himself and disentangled himself
from the wrecked runners of the sled
he saw an an appalling spectacle.
> From the surface of a snow-bank ap.
: peared what to his astonished eyes
seemed to be two beautifully-colored
barber's poles projected, each sur
, mounted with q delicate feminine
boot. He called loudly on the nam.
of tho adored Miss Brown, but nj
one answered, and he began t.
fear that some accident had hap
pened to her.
Mr.. Hopkins sat down IN the SNOW
4 and asked himself what was the du
!. ty of the hour. To pull Miss Brown
out was not to be thought Of with
out shudder. 1t was clear to hi
mind that he must rescue her il
i such a way that she need never know
II that the moonlight shone upon he
lin short, that she should ney