Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-05-15
q mutned-~a very much munied volce


] hurried down to where Brown had
his head buried in the SNOW up 10 the
third button on his coat He was fiat
on his face, with the heels of his shoes
lovingly entwined in the branches Of
one of my prime trees
When my would be Norwegian was
liberated, he Immediately picked up his
shoes and started hillward.
.Good heavens, mani You don't mean
to say you are going to risk your neck
again?"
Oh. the look Of determination that
that martyr frowned ON me as he re-
torted-
did you ever know Hoosier to give
up an undertaking with the first at
tempti OF course I'm going to try
again.
Seeing that argument was useless, I
begged him to tai different course
and steer Gle ,r OF my trees He did SO.
and made most beautiful run. feel
confident that some Norwegian evil
genius must have assisted chance to per-
form the miracle. He came stalking up
the grade, flushed with the success
of his second attempt, and vowing that
10 feet of skis and two feet of the
beautiful were just the combined ele-
ments for him.
@Why, / couldn't keep away from
them If wishedl feel sure that des-
tiny intended me to becon. a champion
on the beautiesi" And he clapped the
shoes together to emphasize his out
burst.
felt so far encouraged by his mete-
oric success that said I'd go up and try
my own fate.
put the shoes on; they seemed rather
large, but Brown said:
They fit you sp. <ndidly2 Iknow you
will make good long slide the first
trial.
Breathing a short but fervent prayer
made the start IL could have stopped
seemed small in l. eyes for the blessed
privilege. But it could not be. As /
neared the steep place heard Brown
shouting encoura, ,ingly:
That's itl That's just the way
startedl You are roaring successl"
My wind was all gone and / couldn't
catch amy more, although there seemed
to be plenty of it all around me. was
losing my head. | caught glimpse of
trees ahead, AMI taking my own former
advice, let myself fall. If had it to do
over q IN would not sit down A
skater with two miles a minute head
of steam on has no right to sit down in
business hours. Nevertheless / conii-
IDENTIFY did SO, but didn't stop; l moved
right along in the good old way until /
reached the foot of the hill
just then the moon modestly went be-
hind cloud, and as l picked up the
pieces of myself aud my wardrobe
felt glad that the snow, at least, was adj
hesive
Isneaked quietly into the house--for
various reasons d dn't want to disturb
my wife--and after arraying myself in
sticking plaster and another pair of
trousers, went ous again to try aud dis
suade Brown frol further gymnastic
performances.
Ho was waiting impatiently, not car
ing to waste his talent on the empty air;
but as soon as ap. AIRED he said -
Now watch your unclel"
9 My uncle" had hardly started when
his right foot insisted on going faster
than its mate. Tls left made little
squirt once in VIII IL, but the right had
the inside track d plainly meant to
keep it At last the left seemed to grow
discouraged, and e Led by dropping out
of the race entirely, while its mate kept
on as far as possiLle-Brown is a tall
man-and then We one last lunge,
sticking fast IN the snow.
Never, outside of Barnum's, have /
seen man in sucl a pose-with pair of
10 foot boards attached to him. 1t was
wonderful l gazsd in rapt astonish-
ment at my friend to see if he would
not kiss his hand TO me as do famous con-
tortionists at the end of an act; but he
just kept kept on posing.
Pm little hard of hearing, but / think
caught the sound Of forbidden word
from his lips. There may be Norwegians
in the place to which he alluded, but
doubt much il there are any skis there.
Before would unite Brown / made
him promise TO rest for that night; then
helped him out OF his acrobaiic posi-
tion and we retired into the house.
He vowed that early morning should
see him practicing. But the next day
found US both SO stiff from our unusual
exercise that we were glad enough to
lounge about the house and disguise our
lameness by feigning TO be rheumatic.
am afraid there win yet be trouble;
for every now and then Brown bursts
out with:
-Wasn't that second slide of mine q
daisys"
.Yes; but how about the other twosv
] ask.
@0b, that's all ri .htl A fellow can't
make a success at anything IN such q
short time. I'll show you Jet that I
mean business
So my wife and are praying hourly
for thaw to come and take the snow
before my Hoosier friend gets well
enough to renew the battle. It's the
only hope for him.
Whw Raw Rent