The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1889-1889, 1889-02-11
NO COWARD.

To invite boys to transport Their games
from land to water Boys are easily
invited TO games, and when pleasure is
in question they think little of danger.
Luckily for the boys Of Versailles, II
was Thursday afternoon, the half holt
day of French schools; so the ice, which
all the morning had shone in the sun
like an immense mirror, was covered
with children, skat ing, sliding, running,
racing, tumbling, pushing, laughing,
shouting, chattcring, grinning and look
ing happy.
Among the spectators on the bank
was one, sturdy boy of II or II, who
stood looking on from the side, and
seemed afraid TO trust himself on the
ice. You may be sure that the other
boys jecred him, called "muff, cow
ard, and so forth, bit he did not seem
TO care and put up with this sort of
abuse from little fellows whom he could
have knocked over with turn of his
hand.
His name was Hippolyte Lefort and
If you wish to know why he did not
join his school-fellows on the ice II was
because he had promised his mother
never TO set foot on IL.
conc is always hearing of accidents, y
she said. 'Since your cousin Francois
was brought home drowned that fearful
night have never been able TO bear
the thought Of your skating If you
wish me not to be miserable every time
there Is frost you must promise me,
| Hippolyte, never to go on the ice"
but the other fellows will laugh at
me-" grrimblcd Hippolyte, the first time
| that she mentioned the subject. 1T is
! dreadful to be taken for Il coward.
"Ah, Hippolyte, you are my only
son" was all she said, and in reply the
boy threw his arms round he neck and
kissed her.
IL will promise, mother. / don't
care for skating bit; would just as
soon go without. like swimming far
better. Will you be afraid if 90 bath
ing in summer"
mo, my. son. One does not hear of
so many accidents to swimmers as to
skaters Besides, It is useful; by know
| ing how to swim you may be able some
| day to save your own life or that of an
other, and do not wish my boy to be u
coward, though hope he is not afraid
| to be called one for his mothers sake.
| But skating is nothing but II dangerous
| pleasure, and i can't bear the thought
of it. You promise, IIippolyteY''
SO Hippolytc did promise, and rs we
have seen that he was not boy to take
promise lightly it may be more easily
understood that he was not likely to
break one when made. This was the
reason that he was standing on the bank
of the lake that Thursday afternoon,
and trying not TO get angry at his com
panions who were teasing him about
his supposed timidity.
They laughed and tested; but soon
their laughter was changed into pitiable
cries. An ominous noise was suddenly
heard. The ice split under the feet of
the skaters, the cracks spread out like
the rays of star, and gulf yawned In
the middle of the merry crowd. One
boy disappeared at once beneath the
surface; q second, who was sliding
toward the fatal hole, endeavored in
vain to stop himself, and, throwing up
his arms, plunged into the water with
on agonized cry of terror. The others
fed in all directions, screaming and
calling out for help, But the panic
was general. Every spectator seemed
to have lost all presence of mind, No
there was one boy who, while the rest
of the crown stood staring and lament
ing, lost not moment in throwing off
his coat and shoes to go to the rescue
1t was Hippolyte Lefort, the boy who
was afraid to go on the ice. Rush
ing through the crowd, in three bounds
he had arrived at the hole, and before
any one had noticed him or understood
his purpose, diyed into the water
There was cry of establishment and
admiration, and then succeeded a 81
lence of trembling suspense. The most
hard hearted of that crowd thought the
moments long in which the brave fel-.
lows fate remained uncertain.
There he is -
mo; he has dived again p
4 "Throw a rope r. -n
Break the ice ~ l'ss 4+l.t
Thank God He has saved one !"
Breathless, almost exhausted, Hippo
lyte rose to the surface, bearing in his
arms feebly struggling body, which
4 he supported to the side and laid on
the grass. A forest of hands was held
out to relieve him, the crowd pressed
forward, clamor of voices arose, but
above all rang the shrek of woman
q shrek torn from her by the sight of
the saved boy, for she was a mother,
and it was her son who still struggled
or lay in the stiffness of death beneath
that smooth bright and treachcrous
surface.
1 "Charles! Charles" she cried, in an
accent that none who heard her could
forget to their dying day, and then, in
the sudden madness OF despair, she
sprang forward to bury herself in the
same cruel water that had robbed her of
her son, and left her the one hope that
she might share his icy grave.
But before she could accomplish her
dreadful purpose, Hippolyte had eXtri-
Gated himself from the arms of those
who would have borne him from the
bank, and catching the unhappy wo-
mans dress, besought her to pause.
4 n will bring you your son." the
cried, and once more plunged into he
water
No words can describe the renewed
establishment of the crowd and the
pitch of excitement to which their feel
ings were now raised. And another
actor had appeared upon the scene, who
uttered no cry, spoke no word, even,
though her heart was sick with an
agony of terror 1t was the mother of
l1ippolyte, who, unknown to him, had
followed him and witnessed his noble
deed, She now stood on the bank, pale,
trembling, voiceless, and cast upon the
other mother an eloquent look that
seemed to say, God forgive you My
son is dying to save yours y But the
other could only wiring her hands and
exclaim, "Charles, Charles My poor
Charles -
Ali children, if you only knew to