The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-08-07
A SCIENTIFIC DEDUCTION
by ALFRED o. ELDEN.

medltated, put merely chain OF uncOn-
trollaIbe circumstances, at least, for
two boys of our age. However, you
shall Judge for yourself.
l was 10, and my brother Is years of
age. Walters tastes were decidedly diff
ferent from mine. He was very quiet
by nature, caring but little for outdoor
sports and games dear to the heart of
most boys. He was born scholar and
boolworm. A volume of Dickens and a
comfortable chair were, to him, far
more alluring than the hottest game of
baseball that ever gladdened the heart
and distorted the fingers of Young
America.
For myself, l was--well, just an ordi-
nary boy with, perhaps, more than the
average amount of youthful schemes.
The advent of a circus in our little town
fully convinced me that nature had in
tended me for a trapeze performer, con-
sequently my dear mother, always my
contidante and sympathizer, had no
peace of mind until a costume of many
aud wonderful colors was designed and
completed. She had q natural talent
for realizing the wants of boy. No
matter what manner of garb was de-
sired, she was always equal to the emer-
gency, and many and startling were the
garments evolved from her resourceful
brain, to meet the numerous demands
OF my youthful fancles.
My acrobatic ambitions were brought
to an abrupt termination by the trapCze
bar breaking while 1 was in the middle
OF a wild gyration. dropped very sud-
denly, and also very forcibly, landing on
top of my head on the hard floor, and
giving me the impression that my era.
mum must be driven in, entirely out of
sight between my shoulders. l think
it was nearly four weeks before ]
could turn ms neck without turning my
entire body.
1t was about month after this cpl
sode, and the family cat had fully recov-
cred from the fit into which she had
been scared when struck, that / be-
came interested in pedestrianism. A
cousin from Boston came down for a
two weeks vacation from his studies,
and an opportunity to fill his lungs with
pure country air. He was big, strong
fellow, freshman in Harvard, and en-
tbusiastic over all athletic sports, so
when l observed that every morning,
rain or shine, he invariably was out for
a two or three-mile constitutional, just
as an appetizer for his breakfast, he
said, it fired the spark of my somewhat
Rbated athletic ambitions into fierce
fame again. If imitation is sincerest
fiattery, my big cousin ought certainly
to have felt greatly flattered, for now.
every morning found me pacing off
miles, and adding to my fund of already
vigorous health.
| had been endeavoring for a week
or more to enthuse some of the benefits
to be derived from this morning spin
into my brother; and at last, by my
persistent efforts, one evening 1 aroused
his interest enough to exact from him
promise to accompany me on the fol-
lowing morning, and if it proved agree
able, perhaps on every morning. 1t
did not prove agreeable, as you will OBJ
serve
He showed up, faithful to his promise.
bright and early, but absolutely re-
There was nothing to do but wait for it.
and it proved fortunate that we did so.
At last, about half-past seven, we
got under way, after casually mention
ing to our parents that we were going
for a walk
A pleasant course, and one which we
quickly agreed upon, was over what
W h0 oil hon-COrQ n -
road. Two miles along this route would
bring us to Cedar bridge, where the
road crossed small stream. Here we
planned to stop and rest a short while,
then return, making nice four-mile
jaunt. Had these original plans been
carried out, all would have been well.
but alas! who ever heard OF two boys
of our age doing things properly?
We reached Cedar bridge in good
marching order, but instead of return
ing as planned, we decided to keep on .
short distance further, or far enough to
enable us to say we had walked five
miles. Then some evil genius prompted
my brother to suggest walking to East
pond, favorite resort fully six miles
beyond us.
always thought that he planned on
giving me all the walking wanted, re-
lying on the strength of his maturer
age to carry him through. He failed to
take into consideration, however, that
was in active training. Two weeks.
practice had given me good wind anu
hardened up my muscles, so that was
IN really excellent form. Our only fears
were that we might be little late
sor dinner, and that our parents might
worry.
But taking out a pencil and paper.
walter figured out to our entire salts
.sctlon that two boys, having Travelled
~iree miles in As minutes, should cover
''A miles more in at least two hours.
as IL was then but $3.50. he showed
e oy scientific deduction" Che was al
s lays great at things like that) that we
raouid have no difficulty whatever in
SSc q. the pond by 1890.
strangely enough, we did not stop to
t t;" the possibility Of our growing
bs. eu' and not being able to keep up the
t FISK pace we had cut out for the first
Ing 1Au :" '''e soo' - '"e '"o'
Du' as the sun rose higher, and COM