Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-18
HE DID FALL.
And the Man Who Knew It Was HighI
 

And the Man Who Knew It Was Highly
 Amused
 The other rainy afternoon, when @ dozen pedestrians had halted under the awning of Woodward avenue store to wait for slackup, an old man with . long gray goatee, and who was carrying an umbrella with three broken ribs, looked hard at the man beside him for Q moment and then broke out with:
 "waal, by gosh, but who'd "a thought it?''
 Are you speaking to me, sir?" queried the other, who looked to be a solid sort of a citizen, and who had about made up his mind to move on and let it rain and be hanged.
 "Yaas, I was. I never expected to sot eyes on you again. Did you git over 1t all right?'
 "I think you have made Q mistake, sir" said the solid man as he looked the old man over.
 "Noap-hain't made no mistake. Do you remember tho 14th day of last Jan uary?"
 Mot particularly. What about it?'
 "Ha. ha, hal Makes me laugh every time think of it. On the I4th day of last January, at o'clock in the after noon. you was turnin tho corner up thar by the city hall. was right behind you. All to once-ha, ha, har'
 Sir, what arc you trying to get at?'' demanded the solid man as the crowd gathered around the pair.
 1T beg your pardin for laffin, but can't help it. It was the funniest sight I ever saw. All to once, as you was walkin along stiff as a poker, your right foot slid out this way, and-and-ha, Ina. har'
 "You are either fool or have been drinking too much, sharply replied the solid man as he began to back of.
 "Noap-neither drunk nor fool. I'm jest tickled half to death. When you found yourself goin down, you paved and clawed and slipped and skated, but it was no use. You struck the sidewalk like n ton of rock, and you fetched a grunt which-ho, ho, hol Say, don't git mad at me, fur I've got to laff or bust
 "I fell down, did I:'' "Yes, fell right down and rolled over and wiped up the sidewalk and cussed and ripped like a-ha, Ina, hal Don't 1Ou GCDlCIiDtE tIlsth EOb Nbu bF NIlu coattails and tried to-to-ho, ho, hop ''No. sir, I don't, and you ought to be sent to n fool asylum!" shouted the other. "Who arc you anyhow, and how dare you insult me in this manner?' "Name's Potter,'' replied the old man as he wiped the tears from his eyes -''name's Potter, and couldn't help laffin if you killed me When tried to git you up, 1 fell down on top of you, and the way you did kick and claw and rip was jest-ho, ho, hol Don't you re- member that a policeman"-
 ''No. sir. No. sir! If you weren't an old man and drunk on top of that, I'd give you one on the jaw. The idea of l insulting me in this fashion,"
 Didn't you fall down!'
 ''I havo slipped down, but what of it?''
 "Nuthin, only-ha, ha, Ina! Funniest blamed sight ever bchcld. Of all the pawin and clawin and rippin I ovcr heard tell of-hO. ho. ho! Coin away:''
 None O your business, sir. Don't you ever dare to speak to mo again. or l may forget that you are an old man. ''
 "Bnt you-you fell downl" nrotested the old man.
 What if did:"
 And you---you struck with an aw. full squat and rolled over the sidewalk ] and busted your suspenders and-ba, ha, hal If live q thousand years, shall never forgit it Say, don't go yit. Let's hov lcetle more talk about it. You see''--
 But the solid man raised his umbrella and walked rapidly away. and when il was seen that he would not return the old man leaned up against the wall and said to those who fingered: II didn't mean to hurt his feclin's. never hurt nobody's feelin's a-purpose. ! was jest behind him, you know, and he was glidin along like q crowbar on runners. when all to once his feet skat. ed this way and that way and-ha, Ina, hal Say. boys, cant help it. would help it if could. but Two got to git [ brace fur my feet and let Ter go-ha, ha, har'
 And the others also 'let 'er go. ," ana the rain ceased falling. and the sun came out. and everybody in Detroit felt hap py with the exception of the solid man. He sat in his office and was mad because he didn't wipe the earth with that old mans carcass. SS.-Dctruit Freo Press.