Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-11-09

PLETE SURPRISE.
the playground Then, putting the key
in his pocket, he handed his coat to the
nearest bystander-who happened to be
Dick Denholme-and said briefly, for
every ones hearing:
II suppose you know what fair play
is in Cragside?"
Coined to see it gren," Dick an
swered with a grin. The ring was
formed, and the STRIPPING offered his
hand to his burly adversary
Keep that for my lad, " he said, 'an
frame tina [get readylr'
The result of the fight was a com
plete surprise. Less than five minutes
sufficed, amid scene of unbridled en-
thusiasm, to demonstrate the masters
supremacy. His challenger lay groan-
ing, unable to respond to the call OF
Time" and he resumed his coat,
breathing hard, but without scratch.
A shrill shout went up within the school
house, whose windows were thronged
with wide-eyed faces pressed against
the glass
Dick Denholme spoke up like the
funny man in. a melodrama- Now
thenr he cried, above the din of voices
'ther' some on yo' calkin' O. what yed
do. Are ye balm to get agate2 He's
here, is t. lad, an just i fettle Tin
'form'E He willn't keep yo' waitin'-
What ye're back ard i comm forrard?
Well, then, he Sill feight wi his colt
on. Six to one bar one-it's a fair
wager?"
a. sata IL, -. Il
this fiattering stream of banter. "Ex-
cuse me-" he said stiffiy; 81 think we
have wasted too much time already Be
good enough to clear the playground
as soon as your man can go with you. :"
And he went in without further par
lev, leaving them to straggle away
with as much dignity as they could
muster
If he had cared to think of it George
Oak worth might have found in this re-
contre the means of becoming popular;
but as it was, he only made the ac-
quaintance of Dick. That uncomely
outlaw was SO seized with admiration
of his skill as boxer, that he regularly
waylaii him on the road home, and
kept him in conversation with queer
stories of village life. The sequel the
readers knows 1t should be added,
however. that old Mrs. Denholme who
soon afterwards became the teacher 8
landlady, made him so comforta BILE, and
SO plainly looked on him as her ne er-
do-weePs good angel, that he found
himself very much at home; and
further, that Dick mad fewer occasions
for over-indulgence in malt liquor than
aforetime and began to respect him
self accordingly.
In one particular only did Dick find
the schoolmaster an uncongenial
friend. He could never bring him to
talk sympathtically of affairs of the
heart Yet he made to him most in
innate confession, which, until then,
had never passed his lips
"Ye willnt hardly believe it." he
said-they were walking one afternoon
among the heather of the parish COM
mon-"but there's a lass i Cragside
parish at ould wed me to-morn + Aw
could but kaep teetotal. Aye, there
is AVN gaunless [stupidl fooil,
mate, that's what Aw am. Shoo's t.
grandest lass i four parishes an Aw
do believe shoe fancies mel But-well,
tina knows. Aw git droughen wi all
my mates but thee"
George Oakworth prone on his back,
with his hat tilted over his eyes, lis.
tened to this touching avowal in abso-
Lutte silence. Most people would have
OWNED that in man SO youthful.
this kind of taciturnity indicated re.
cent tdisappointment; but Dick, in his
innocence, admired it despairingly as a
mark of superiority
"Tha thinks Aw'm soft mebbe" he
said, raising himself on his elbow from
q similar position OF repose. But
tha's nivver seen her Eth, lad! shoo's
like. fine mornin i Z springtime. 1t
maks a mans blood dance just to look
at heri"
But the teachers cynicism was not
long to be left undistur bed. On a
summer evening of the very next
week, as he struck into wonted field
path on his way homewards, he came
face to face with a romantic adventure.
Walking with his gaze bent upon the