Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-04-20

appeared thoroughly dazed. AS he pre-
pared 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 ex-
press when suddenly something very
unexpected happened.
AS the crowd Of bystanders shrank
back with horror stricken faces, con-
vinced that they were about to witness
the terrible fate which must instantly
overtake the old man, figure in a
much begrimed canvas jacket sprang
out from among them, and clearing the
tracks at bound alighted beside the
swaying form of the other.
A 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 in
stant he had tackled the man and
thrown him fiat upon the ground be-
tween the two tracks, for all the world
quite as if he had been an opponent on
the football field. Then he dropped
lightly on top of him and lay there mo-
tionless, while the two trains thundered
past on each side of them, and the
crowd stood waiting spellbound.
In much less time than it takes to de-
scribe 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 on to his feet applause and cheers
louder than any that had greeted 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 stand
ing 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 broth
er responded impatiently. 'They need
not make such fuss because knocked
the old duffer over" and he bolted in
the direction of the gymnasium.
Saturday nights generally brought the
scattered members of the Bartlett fam
lily together, as the collegians always
made point of coming home to spend
Sunday under the parental roof tree
On this particular Saturday evening
all wero assembled before Roger came
in. Fred was all agog to describe the
sceno that he had witnessed, but he un-
selfishly held his tongue. "I'll not spoil
his story for him, but will give him a
chance to do justice to it," he mentally
calculated as he watched his brother
swallowing his soup with unruffied COM
posurc.
But Roger said nothing upon the vi
tai subject, and Fred looked at him with
increasing surprise as he judicially set
forth the respective merits of the oppos-
ing football team and called attention
to their most vulnerable points.
'I'll turn in early tonight, think, "
he yawned as he withdrew from tho
dining room. II put pretty solid work
into the last half of that game, and he
leisuroly wended his way up stairs.
II wish that Roger would put a little
solid work into something else" his fa-
ther volunteered as he disappeared from
tho room.
At this, Fred, who had in times past
repeatedly scoffed at his brothers. ath-
letic proclivities, instantly fired up.
Father" he burst forth, "you re
making a big mistake about Roger.
He's got moro genuine stuff in him than
all the rest of us put together, and if
it's football that's done it the sooner
that we all 60 in for the game the bet
ter" and then he proceeded to give a
graphic account of the afternoons expe-
rience, which caused his father to blow
his nose loudly and repeatedly, while
his eyes glistened with happy pride,
and which sent his mother weeping in
search of the sleepy athlete, who could
not understand what he had done that
was worth making such q fuss about.
A few days later Mr.. Bartlett received
note from his old friend, Wilkinson
Smalley, which ran somewhat as fol-
lows:
DEAR BARTLErr-I hear that your Roger is
going in for the law, and If so l want him.
When he gets through with the law school, you
can hand him over to me, for he's just the
material that am on tho lookout for, and
you may well be proud of him. He scared me
out Of n years growth the other afternoon at
tho station, the young rascal, but IN spite OF
that / wish you would tell him to come
round and take dinner with me some night,
for l want to talk to him. With kind regards
to Mrs. Bartlett, believe me ever your friend
WILKINSON SMALLEy
When Roger came home the follow
ing Saturday. his father handed him the
note, remarking, "I'm afraid l haven't
appreciated your football, old man, but
I'm going to do better in future, and,
by the way, Roger, hear that you re
to play in the game at Springfield next
week. Is that sop
Roger nodded.
VERY we'll, then," Mr.. Bartlett con.
tinued, your mother and would like
to have you get us the best seats that
can be bought, for we've set our hearts
upon going up to see you make the first
touchdown. - Caroline Ticknor il
Boston Transcript.
Adding Insult to Injury.
Old Lady-That parrot l bought O