The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-10

ness the horrible fate which must in
stantly overtake the old man, figure
in much begrimed canvas jacket
sprang out from among them. and
| clearing the tracks at bound ahght-
! cd beside the swaying form of the
other.
A shudder, and wave of pitiful re-
| greet 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 fat upon
| the ground between the 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 motionless, while the
two trains Numbered 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 to be only a bit of melodrama
after all; yet as Roger jumped up and
] pulled the old man on to his feet APP
pIause and cheers louder than any
| that had greeted him on the football
| field rang in his ears.
Abashed and quite oyerwhe lined by
such an ovation Roger made haste to
elbow his way through the crowd,
and in SO doing nearly overthrew 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
establishment
do let me get out of this his
brother responded impa tiently, they
needn't make such fuss because
knocked the old duffer over" and he
bolted in the direction of the gymna-
SUM.
Saturday nights generally brought
the scattered mem bers of the BARTLETT
family together, as the co1legians al
ways made point of coming home to
spend Sunday under the parental roof
tree.
On this particular Saturday evening
all were assembled before Roger came
in. Fred was all agog to describe the
scene that he had witnessed, but he
unselfshly 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 composure.
But Roger said nothing upon the
vital subject, and h red looked at him
with increasing surprise as he judi
cially set forth the respective merits
of the opposing football teams, and
called attention to their most vulner-
able points.
'I1l turn in early tonight, / think
he yawned, as he withdrew from the
dining room. Il put pretty solid
work into the last half of that game
and he leisure1y wendell his way up
stairs.
Il wish that Roger would put lit
tie solid work into something else,'
his father volunteered, as he disap-
peared from the room.
At this, Fred, who had in times
past repeatedly scoffed at his broth
er's athletic proclivities, instantly
fired up.
Father" he burst forth, you're
making big mistake about Roger.
He's got more 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 go in for the game
the BETTER" and then he proceeded to
give graphic account of the after
moons experience, which caused his
father to blow his nose loudly and re-
peatedly, while his eyes glistened
with happy pride, and sent his mother
weeping in search of the sleepy ath-
lete, who couldn't understand what
he had done that was worth making
such fuss about
A few days later Mr.. Bar lie tt re-
ceived note from his old friend,
Wilkinson Smalley, whieh ran some
what as follows:
DEAR BARTLETT hear that your Rorer is
going in for the law and if so want hi n
When he gets through with the law school
you can hand him over to for he is ju
the material that I'm on the lookout for. AMI
you may well be proud of him
He scared me out of years growth the
other afternoon at the stltion the yo1ag
rascal but in spite of that, wish you would
tell him to come round and take dinner with
me some night, for want to talk to him
With kind re ards to Mrs B 4rtlett, 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 [
haven't appreciated your football. old
man. but I'm going to do better in the
future; and, by the way. Roger / hear
: that you're to play in the game at
Springfield next week; is that so?'
Roger nodded.
Every we'll then. - Mr.. Bartlett con-
tinued, ''vour mother and l would
like to have you get us the best seat
that can be bought, for we've set our
hearts upon going up to see you make
the first touchdown. Boston Tran
script.
From Princess to Empress.