The Forrest City times., 1894-12-14

tious souls of his parents by his small aptitude for Creek.
 Not that Roger was by any means a dunce. for his class standing was fairly good. but what pained his father and mother was the recognition of what he might have accomplished had 1t not been for that arch enemy, football
 The great game over, the victorious team hastened back to their gymna- sium with all possible speed; they had some little distance to go, as the gym nasium was not very near the ball grounds, so that in order to reach it they were obliged to traverse the cen ter of the town and cross the railroad tracks.
 Roger, who had been detained a mo- ment or so longer than the others, reached the station short time after they had crossed, and found the plat form crowded with people who were returning from the game, mingled with those who were alighting from incoming trains. As he stepped upon the platform he became conscious that something unusual was going on, and he immediately perceived that the eyes of the multitude were riveted up- on figure halfway across the tracks, a figure pausing there in bewilderment
 There's a train coming each way" somebody gasped. Why doesn't he get off the track?"
 The station agent and one or two other officials were shouting loudly, but the man, who was old and very deaf, appeared thoroughly dazed; as he was prepared to step upon the track nearest him he had caught sight of one train coming down upon him and he now staggered back and was about to plunge in front of the other down-coming express when suddenly something very unexpected hap pened.
 As the crowd of bystanders shrank back with horror-stricken faces, con- vinced that they were about to wit ness the terrible fate which must in- stantly overtake the old man, a figure in much -begrimed canvas jacket sprang out from among them, and clearing the tracks at bound alight- ed beside the swaying form of the other.
 shudder and wave of pitiful re- gret swept over the motionless crowd 'He can never drag him back in time," they breathed; ''they will both be killed-oh, the pity of it." But our football man had no thought of dragging the unsteady figure in front of either approaching engine In an instant he had tackled the man and thrown him flat upon the ground between the two tracks, for all the world quite as if he had been an op- ponent on the football field; then he dropped lightly on top of him and lay there motionless, while the two trains thundered past on each side of them and the crowd stood waiting spell bound.
 In much less time than it takes to describe the episode, it was over, and what might have been tragedy had proved only bit of melodrama after all; yet as Roger jumped up and pulled the old man onto his feet, ap- plause and cheers louder than any that had gree ted him on the football field rang in his ears.
 Abashed and quite overwhelmed by such an ovation, Roger made haste to elbow his way through the crowd, and in so doing nearly overthrow his own brother Fred, who happened to be standing directly in his path.
 For heavens sake, was that you, Roger?" he cried, confronting him in astonishment.
 Do let me get out of this" his brother responded impatiently; 'they needn't make such a fuss because knocked the old duffer over," and he bolted in the direction of the gym nasium.
 Saturday nights generally brought the scattered members of the Bartlett family together, as the collegians al- ways made point of coming home to spend Sunday y>under the parental roof tree.
 On this particular Sunday evening all were assembled before Roger came in. Fred was all agog to describe the scene that he had witnessed, but he unselflshly held his tongue. "Pll not spoil his story for him, but will give him chance to do justice to it." he mentally ejaculated, as he watched his brother swallowing his soup with un- ruffled composure.
 But Roger said nothing upon the vital subject, and Fred looked at him with increasing surprise as he judi cially set forth the respective merits of the opposing football team, and called attention to their most vulnerable points.
 ''l'll turn in early tonight, think"