The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-14
AN HOUR ON A HUUSETOP.

Suggestions From the Boy and His Unsuc-
cessful Kite.
We were all sitting out on the roof; the
day had been ~overpoweringly sultry. Now
q fitful breeze blew in from the river; the
innumerable lights of the city flashed out in
long irregular lines up and down the
avenues, and far of over the water shone
family the torch OF Liberty.
"Ah, look there!'' suddenly exclaimed The
Unknown, 80 called for some real or imaR-
ined likeness to That breathing bust, the
Femme ~Inconnue," under whose marble
lids turks the very soul of the Renaissance.
We all became silent, and followed the
glance of the speaker. Far below US, on a
neighboring housetop, a child was endeav-
ooring to launch his kite, which again and
again started eagerly forward, buoyed up
by the current among the himne posts,
only to hang for a moment IN mid-alr ana
fall back powerless. 1t was a pantom1me
that captured the fancy.
Tell me, what does 1t remind you Off"
said the unknown, looking round with that
elusive expression which one knows not
whether to call more arch or reflective.
Every one considered n moment; the col
onel spoke first. He ia u hale old gentleman,
inclining e to stoutness, with a fine bald head
carried q little forward, and the air OF a man
of affairs who has retired from the world,
retaining a large stock of perfectly market
able opinions.
"Well, my dear" began the colonel, with
n certain playful emphasis, sit reminds me
of the way the Young fellows launch out in
life nowadays. They start of briskly, and
you'd think Git YOU took their word for it)
they were bound to go up like SO many sky
rockets; but when the wind gives out, or the
first furry catches them, down they come
tumhling end over end, and want their old
fathers to give 'em Il run again." And the
colonel laughed his low resonant laugh; he
has two sons who are not unknown on the
stock exchange.
ture that wants to get loose. You remember
the lamb in Wordsworth's poem:"
'What ails thee, young ona--what?
Why pull 30 at thy cord?'
murmured the artist, a tall, pale girl, with
a cameo profile and long. white fingers. She
fixed her large gray-blue eyes on tho kite,
which at that moment was Juggling u%neasily
at its tether.
Eyes; for a lad just learning to SWIM"
said the doctor, who was smoking his pipe
on the highest seat. HE can take just two
strokes before his hena goes under. There!
What did | tell youb"
II am surprised you don't find a more
medical simile," said the bankers clerk, in
n bantering tone. "a swimmer when the
ramp has got him at least, or the life far
ing up in n consumptivs PATIENT lie
broke off suddenly. for has 1t not been
whispered that the doctors sweetheart died
OF consumption
And your" said the unknown, laying
her land on the sleeve of the oolonel's
wife.
well, for my part" said the colonel's
wife,, with the slight air Of rebuke which
practical wisdom ever assumes toward sen
timent, "it reminds me OF nothing 10 much
M of the time when | was II girl, and used
to go out TO fly kites with my brothers on
the round hill back Of our houso in Ver-
mont"
A smile went round the company, but it
was too dark TO see 10.
Now that's odd, for 1t makes me think
of n follow turning his back on the girl that
hasn't treated him WELL" observed the
bankers olerk~-that young man with large
rings on hia hands. We all laughed,
for the words turning his back" were