The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-05-04
An Awful Scene.

I hSifC tilC OlI W ASil.
My conduct has been such again
at any rate, that's what father says /;
and I've had to go up stairs with
him, and needn't explain what
that means. 1t seems very hard, for
I'd tried to do my best, and I'd
heard Sue say, That boy hasn't
misbehaved for two days, good gra-
cious, l wonder what can be the
matter with him." There's a fatal
litty about it, I'm sure. Poor
father L must give him an awful
lot of trouble, and | know he's had
to get two new bamboo canes this
winter Just because I've done SO
wrong, though | never meant TO do
| it.
1t happened on account OF coast
ing. We've got magnificent hill.
The road runs straight down the
middle of it, and all you have to do
is to keep on the road. There's a
fence on one side, and if you run
into it something has got to break.
John Kruger, who is a stupid sort
OF fellow, ran into it last week
head first, and smashed three
pickets, and everybody said it was
mercy he hit with his head, or he
might have broken some of his
bones and hurt himself. There
isn't a fence on the other side, but
II you run off the road on that side,
you'll go down the side of the hill
that's sleeper than the roof the Epis-
copal church, and about a mile
long, with a brook full OF stones at
the bottom.
The other night Mr.. Travers said
But | forgot to say that Mr.. Mar
tin is back again, and coming to
our house worse than ever. He was
there, and Mr.. Travers and Sue, all
sitting in the parlor, where | was
behaving and trying to make things
pleasant, VIXEN Mr.. Travers said,
Its a bright moonlight night: let
us all go out and coast" Sue said,
20 that would be lovely, Jimmy get
your sled. | didn't encourage
them, and | told father so, but he
wouldn't admit that Mr.. Trayers or
Sue or Mr.. Martin or anybody
could do wrong. What | said was,
Il don't want to go ceasting. It's
cold and | don't feel very well, and
| think we all ought to 90 to bed
early, so we can wake up real sweet
tempered But Sue Just said,
Don't you preach Jimmy, if you're
lazy just say so and Mr.. Travers
will take US out" Then Mr. Martin
he must put in and say, perhaps
the boys afraid, don't tease him, he
ought to be in bed anyway" Now
L wasn't going TO stand this, so | |
sad, Come on. | wanted to 90
all the time, but | thought it would |
be best for old people to stop at
home, and that's why / didn't en-
courage you" So | get out my |
double ripper, and we all went out |
on the hill and started down.
/ sat in front TO steer, and Sue sat |
right behind me, and Mr.. Travers |
sat behind her to hold her on, and |
Mr.. Martin sat behind him. Wei
went speedily, only the dry snow |
flew so plentifully that | couldn't
see anything, and that's why we got
off the road and on the side hill be-
fore | knew it.
The hill was just one glare of ice,
and the minute we struck the ice
the sled started away like hurri-
cane. | had just time to hear Mr.
Martin say, boy, mind what you're
about or Ill get off," when | struck
something-l don't know what
and everybody was pitched into the
air, and began sliding on the ice
without anything to help them, ex-
cept me. | caught on bare rock,
and stopped myself. l could see
Sue sitting up straight and sliding
like streak of lightning, and cry
ing, Jimmy, father, Mr.. Martin, o
my, help me-" Mr.. Travers was on
his stomach, about rod behind
her, and gaining a little on her, and
Mr.. Martin was on his back, coming
down head first and beating them
both. All of sudden he began to
GO to pieces. Part of him would
slide Off one way, and then another
piece would try its luck by itself.
They all reached the bottom after a
while, and when / saw they were
not killed, / tried it myself, and
landed all right. Sue was sitting
still, and saying, "My goodness gra.
cious | shall never be able to walk
again. Ny comb is broken and
that boy isn't fit to live" Mr..
Travers wasn't hurt very much
and fixed himself all right with
some pins gave him, and his hand
kerchief; but his ovcrcoat looked
as if he had stolen it from a scare
crow When he had comforted Sue
a little he and | collected Mr.. Mar
tin-all except his teeth-and help
ed to put him together, only | got
his leg on wrong side first, and then
we helped him home.
This was why father said that my
conduct was such, and that his
friend Martin didn't seem to be able
to come into his house without be-
ing insulted and injured BY me. l
never insulted him. 1t isn't my
fault if he can't slide down hill
without coming apart. However,
I've had my last suffering on account
of him. The next time he comes
apart where l am, | shall not wait
to be punished for it, but | shall
start straight for the North Pole, and
if | discover it the British Govern
ment will give me morn a million
dollars. I'm able to sit down this
morning, but my spirits were crush
ed and | shall never enjoy life any
more.-Harper's Young Pecple,
s...-