The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-28
SKATING FOR LIFE.
Remarkable Escape of a Confed-
crate Prisoner.

Tae snow, which had been coming down
for hours, gradually ceased, the soft fakes
changing into an icy sleet, singing the
faces Of pedestrians, and converting the
teathery covering of the streets into a
sheet IF glass, over which locomoton was
becoming more and more impracticable.
The leafiess branches of the trees along the
sidewalks swayed in the rising wind, drop
ping fragments of ice upon thu heads Of
the passers-by, and occasionally. no Lager
able TO sustain their icy burden, coming
down with a sharp crash on the pavement
below.
The Office of Messrs. SHINES & Har-
court. Attorneys at Law, presented a
cheerful contrast TO the dreary scene with
out. A huge bed OF Goals glowed in the
open crate. and lit up still more brightly
the crimson rug and curtains. The two
gentlemen, themselves the only occupants
of the room. seemed to fully appreciate their
agreeable situation, as seated before the
fire they allowed newspapers and chat to
Supersede, for the nonce, briefs and law
books
"'Skaiing at the Park" said Mr.
SHINES, the junior partner, as a street Car
bearing the announcement in large letters
rolled by within sight of the window.
'sThat little flag will bring joy to the
hearts Of the skaters"
81 confess,'i said M Harcodrt, ,folaing
up his ne@ ,paper, "that | still enjoy the
sport as much as the young people. Itputs
Young blood in The Notwithstanding over
an icy floor, through an icy atmosphere
Now this roiler-skating is a miserable sub
stitute. suppose That IS the only KIND you
ever enioYed. SHINES, in your benlghted
section "here you can naroE save ice
enough 20 cool your summer orlhhS'
NN ou are very much mistaken, my dear
fellow" reloined his companion, returning
from the window where he had been view
ing the arctic scene below I'm my section,
AS you call 1t, have 1elt as cold weather
as here-perhaps III except the present
blizzard You remember l came from
KENTUCKY. we TAD splendio skaung al
most every year"
JUDGED! 1oG indulge IN 1t mere, then, 1
suppose"
No. SAID CIR SHINES, never l have
not ska'ed," he continued rehectlyely,
'iog twenty years: and then L skated for
my life"
WHAT" exclaimed his friend, were
&he wolves after youW
'''i--NeN' -NN"'i ~ '''NAN'' HA'N
wolves we're after me; and nearly got me,
TOO"
My dear fellowH cried his companion,
tapping him upon the shoulder, sis it pos
siDie Pyc known you so long, and you've
never told nc such an adventure! Here,
SIT down! We have nothing specially i'm
portant on hand this afternoon, so suppose
Tve devote 1t TO the recital"
''Wen, il you are willing to run the risk
of being bored. But perhaps your sympa-
thics will be on the side Of the pursuers."
WHAT the wolvesn
SHINES laughed. "They were not beasts"
ne reioiued, ''they were human wolves; or
perhaps that is too harsh term to apply
20 them. They were simply doing their
duty i'll trying to catch me-"
''You are growing mysterious, SHINES.
guess the sheriff and his posse were after
you. Was 1T arson or murder that you had
committed"
Neither In fact | had committed no
crime, that was aware Of, and yet was
escaping for my life, and my pursuers were
perfectly right in endeavoring to capture
me"
"Weil, no more riddles, If you please. Ny
curiosity is sufficiently whetted, so pro-
coed;" and Mr.. Harcourt settled himself