The Washington critic., 1888-03-03

cotton DcCkOning TO MIN.
George had but an instant to run
over in his mind the opening lines of
his speech when he found himself
alone on the platform bowling low and
conscious only of sea of heads SWIM
ming before his eyes
A gulp, q mental shake, and he
opened his lips and began bravely,
Ladies and gentlemen" but TO his
horror only whisper issued forth.
Louder y shouted some one in the
rear of the audience.
Ladies and fellow citizens !" This
time his voice arose in shrill squeak,
and some little urchins in the front
seat snickered rudely.
The blood flew to poor Georges face,
but hundreds of icicles seemed chasing
each other up and down his spine,
While his throat was so dry he could
only gasp: at is with-with-" What
did come next2
"G0 It, Washl" sounded in sepul-
chral tones from behind the scenes,
and at the same moment q large, fra
grant red rose fell at his feet. To cover
his confusion, he stopped and picked
1t up, while from the mist of faces a
pair of dark eyes seemed to shine
sympathizingly upon him,
With mighty effort he commenced
once more: Ladies' and gentlemen,
friends and fellow namesakes, II Is with
deep and heart-felt--heart.f .felt--my H.
lusirious neighbor-become necessary
TO assist--to assist" 1t was no use (;
he was becoming more and more hope
lessly confused, and there was but Il
senseless conglomeration Of words in
his mind. He houndered on few sec
onds longer, and then, as low Kisses
fell on his ears, this miserable little
victim of stagc-fright suddenly turned
and fairly boltcd from the rostrum,
pushed his way through his indignant
fellow actors, and darting through q
back door, snatching his hat and skates
as he ran, was soon speeding up the
river-anywhere, anywhere away from
those Kissing voices. feeling that he
was disgraced forever in the eyes of
Edith Applegate and all the rest, while,
like wounded animal, his one idea
was to hide himself from the whole
world.
Poor little lad, it was bitter ordeal,
and his head seemed on fire, while
great sobs rose in his throat as he
thought rescntfully, 1's all the COW.
ardly Biggs blood in me. The George
Washington part is brave enough, but
the Biggses were always chicken.
hearted, mother says"
Rocky River has many twists and
turns as II winds among the hills, and
many branches strike off in various di-
rections. One of these the boy took,
and skated on and on until as the even
ing shadows began to fall, he suddenly
found himself in wild, lonely spot at
the foot of Hob Mob Mountain, one of
the highest of the range, and awoke to
the fact that he must be more than
seven miles from home and the winter
night close at hand.
1T don't much matter, though" he
thought, with reckless laugh, ''I'd as
soon freeze out here as 90 back and face
the boys. Hezckiah will be ready to
skin me for spelling his fine speech. :"
Just then fierce little gust of wind
snatched his hat from his head, whirled
II round and round on the ice and then
carried it up till it caught on the limb
of u tree growing out from the rugged
side of old Hob Mob.
This diverted him for the time, for,
depressed and inclined to suicide as
George Washington was, the idea of
losing his best Sunday hat was not to
be contemplated. so he quickly
whipped off his skates and began to
make his way up the steep incline in
quest of it. 1t was rough scrambling,
but he at length struck something re-
sembling path, though, - he thought,
carelessly, Il never knew anything but
'coons and rabbits lived out here. "
The extreme solitude and silence
were indeed almost oppressive, when
all at once, to the boys intense sur
prise, they were broken by low curl
Gus sound close at hand He stopped
and listened. Again came a subdued
but distinct whinny, which seemed to
proceed from behind a pile of dry
branches and brushwood heaped
against the side of the mountain. In
stantly George was on the alert, and
creeping nearer, &C. .jously pushing
aside the dead limbs, he made n dis
covery which almost sent him rolling
down the hill in his excitement. For
the brushwood concealed the entrance
to a deep cavern, within which he
caught a glimpse of black head and
pair of bright eyes.
Jerusalem crickctsw he exclaimed,
and then clappcd his hands over his
mouth. That's Edith Applegate's
Ellie, If ever saw her, and of course
the thieves amt far off. What cute
fellows they were to find this hiding.
place, for | don't believe man, woman
or child hcrcabouts ever heard of a cave
in old Hob Nob!"
As all remained quiet, he venturcd to
explore little further, and found that
besides the pony there were three cows
confined in the underground rooms,
while beyond was q second inner. cave,
where fire was smouldering, and some
remnants of food set out on box
strongly suggested the Widow Chin.
nock's lost pig
Poor Elie good little Ellie !"
whispered the boy, patting the black
nose that was rubbed caressingly against
his shoulders. 'Do You want to 90
home to your mistress ?' Then to
with sudden elation, "Now,
George Washington is your chance to
make up for to-day's blunders, and
do something really worthy of your
a triumphant smile ovcrspread his
face, and he felt capable of great
achievements; but alas! moment later
his treacherous Biggs heart leaped into
his throat us footsteps and several
rough voices sounded outside If
found there he well knew that his life
would not be worth copper, and he
glanced wildly around for some means of
escape. The only break in the bare
rocky wall was one long. narrow iis-
sure, not very secure or comfortable
retreat, but being "lIobson's choice"
just as the approaching footballs paused
al the door of the cave, George squeezed
himself into the small aperture, and
stood pressed close against the sides in
The darkest part, scarcely daring to