The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-09-02

eussi0l as 10 WHO snOuiu DC ciupfoySo
TO attend him. The only words Ed be-
slowed upon Lesley we're
What on earth did you drop the
reins and hold on to the pony's neck
forf You've given him . a he'll
never get over You've come near XIII
ing the horse, and I'm not especially
obliged TO you for it."
Lesley was Indignant. He struggled
to his feet and cried out, as he limped
Off,
eft doesn't matter whether I've boon
killed or not, I suppose. o no! l think
I know what your pretended friendship
a worth. / was q fool to come herer"
He realized this o thousand timss
over before he reached the school
house. The scholars were In their
seats, and he was obliged to conceal an
expression Of pain when every bone In
his body was aching. He felt bruised
from the crown of his head TO the solss
of his feet. With q pale face he wels
haltingly through his lessons, knowing
it would never do to excuse himself
from recitation on the plea Of sickness.
for then inquiries would be made As -
the cause OF it.
Fred. Moore had sneaked demursly
in, and every time he glanced towards
Lesley's desk be seemed struggling -
repress . burst of laughter. Lsslsy
knew well what It meant, and remem-
bered how often be had himself enjoyed
Moore's ludicrous pictures Of the mis-
fortunes OF some Of his companions 4
talent for ridicule was the only one thai
young gentleman possessed, and he did
not allow Il to rust.
When recess came, and the boys
trooped into the playground, Lesley
remained At his desk. He said he had
a headache, which was certainly truA
His head was very painful, but the dull
heavy weight at his heart wa worse.
As he sat there he heard the boy
talking and laughing outside, and knsw
what they were laughing At In faca
part Of Fred. Moors's con~versatios
reached him. for the window was open
at was rich, boys" said Fred's loud
voice. you can coax him to anything.
No catching me in that snap. The
minute / saw that hog-eyed brute. I
said to myself. "A softer head thaa
mine has got TO back you, my fine fell
low But, bless you. the soft head
was Just therei We put Les. on the
chestnut to show Oh his PAGES.
eHa, ha! / recon he went more PAGES
in q few minutes than he ave dreamed
of He Just hung to the, pony's neck
like q bag Of wool. You should have
seen his face; It was Is white - . sheet.
He Just choked the horse he held him
SO tight, and there he wa humping up
and down. Well, the pony took the
palings, and we saw Lesley's heels ny
into the air, and that was the last till
he landed head-foremost. II was bet
ter than any play ! ever saw. He knows
something about o horse now"
Laughter followed, and Lesley half
rose, with the intention Of inficting
summary chastisement upon the mock
ing speaker; but his aching head and
limbs forbade the attempt. In fact,
before school was out, he was compelled
to ask permission TO return home.
OF course he said nothing to his faith
or about the cause Of his headache, but
quietly went to bed, and bore the pain
of his bruises as best he could. He was
rather pale the next day. and when his
father 1aughingly said
"WelL. Lesley, can you make the
rule of pleasing, work both ways-sat-
isfy your friends and fulfill your duties
tooP"
Lesley answered rather savagely, ut
isn't worth while to please friends, sir.
l don't believe there is such a thing as q
true friend"
Certainly one, is never gained by a
sacrifice Of right, my son. Distrust all
SUCH"
Now one would naturally suppose
that this lesson Of the pony would not
be forgotten by Lesley. / IN sorry to
say that he thrashed Fred. Moore at the
earliest opportunity, and then held
himself aloof from bis companions. He
found no difficulty, either, In uttering
the obnoxious word mo- so long as his
relations with the boys continued so
cool; but q natural defect, or weakness,
cannot be overcome by one lesson,
however severe. He soon fell back in
the old way.
There was to be . balloon ascension
near the town, and the whole country
was in . ferment. To add to the OK
element, James Curran, one Of Mr..
Turner's school-boys, was to accom-
pany Prof. Mayder (as he called him
self in the ascent.
Curran had no father to control him.
and his mother had unavailingly tried
to dissuade him from the perilous un-
dertaking. He was. however, . vain
weak fellow, with Q thirst for notoriety.
and foolishly thought he would be .
hero Il he showed pluck enough for Q
balloon ascension. But after . while
Curran got nervous and distracted, and
was unwilling to talk OF the subject
The night before the day appointed for
the. ascent, he put his arm through Les
ley's, and said
Come. Lesley. let's walk down to
the pond. I've got something / want
to say to you"
But when they had reached the pond.
he did not seem Il find It easy to speak.
At last, with an effort, he said
.Tm going to tell you something, but
promise ma you won't divulge IT. ]
trust you because i know you'll keep
your word,-andI believe you'll help
me. You're the only boy in the world
/ would ask such a favor OF. Will you
promisep"
Lesley promised.
.sYou know 1 have agreed to go up
In that balloon. l wish the old thing
would burst before I go, though! Not
that I'm really afraid, you know,-but
then, Ican't help feeling . little queer"
.sGivs 1t up,'' said Lesley. ''Father
saws it's o foolish risk to run, just for
nothing. Only q love Of science would
Justify any one in doing it."
II can't give 1t up. I'm pledged to
&c, and everybody would say / was q
coward II I should back out. You're
my true friend. Lesley, are you notP"
Lesley said yes, wondering what il
meant.
.Then you must keep me from get
ting scared. or looking scared, and be-
ing tho laugh Of the town. Unjust have
. Bottle Of whisky, for . drink or two
Of that would steady my nerves. ]
don't dare 70 get It myself. for they
vorld knov I bou0ht Il to keen nv