Evening journal., 1900-01-27
WHYHEDoDGEDWAR.
'DKoE WAS ENOUGH FOR Tie
TRAVELLING MAN.

vania Town Convinced Him Thar
He Did Not Want "a co to War.
The travelingman who sells bard
ware remarked that be WAS afraid
that be would die Of heart disease II
he WAS ever compelled to 80 70 the
front His friends wanted to know
what made him think so. and AFTER
lighting a fresh cigar he said
III was several years ago thet
made up my mind never to 80 to WAT
unless there was great need OF men
and my decision was not changed.
Business had BEEN good with me,
and landing In aicertAin PENNSYLVANIA
town one Fourth, n Determined 10
take asday on and celebrate the day.
The result was that I ~alked over
half the place. attended picnic In
the afternoon. danced until my feet
were weary and returned to the hotel
for dinner pretty we'll tired. so far
30 good. but l did not know where to
stop. t-,,'+A
AFTER dinner q man Of my Acduaint.
anee proposed that we 90 out 70 see
the fireworks and on we went deter
mined not to lose an hour Of our holi-
day. The fireworks display was to
be ON top Of high hill. almost II
mountain. on the edge Of the town,
and, as | remember Il now. that
Hill went almost straight up and
down. We followed the big crowd.
though and at last reached the top.
About every one in town was on the
summit of that hill beforei9 O'Clock
when the display was scheduled 10
begin. and We were crowded and iost
led on all sidest
In due season some one put a bic
rocket IN place and touched Il off. IL
started with rush. rose high In the
air and exploded While the sparks
were falling all the women said, All!
long drawn out, and half the folk
crowded around to get better view.
There was n woman with big straw
hat right In front OF me and ! was
sidestepping when there was roar
I'm the middle OF the platform where
the fireworks were lying. Before any.
one knew what was WRONG big, sky.
rocket darted over the heads OF a.
thousand or so spectators, so close
that they could feel The rush OF air
following II.
"a moment later fiourpot began TO
spout Unexpectedly and seeing the
sparks falling all over the platform
most OF the spectators decided that
II was time for tnem 10 go. Yours
truly was among the number
started down the hill ON run. and
was soon making ten'foot jumps.
Even then was only hoidiBg my own
with big fat woman just IN front
of me and there were some Ia the
crowd who should hgve been han9i
capped to make anything like an
even race.
Z We made a quick trip that Is my
friend and niyaeif. but the shyrockets
were going much faster. They kept
passing over our heads constantly and
y once a biz wheel OF some kind sailed
by me going toward the bottom OF the
hin like a runaway. About hun.
dred yards from the top OF the hill
there ran a stone wall perhaps four
i feet high and some Of the high-gear
sprinters went bang into Il. The men
b and women who did not lose con
A sciousness groaned or screamed when
1 they struck II and hearing the uproaI
e in front OF me | slowed UP q little and
then making out the fence through
!, the darkness vaulted over II with a
sigh OF relief. ..'
but my troubles we're not ended
Il happened that a husky ironworkel
4 NtU CHOSEN ontiAti ntAllN AnN AfAht
T. Just when | went over and my feel
came down fairly in the middle OF bis
4 hack when / landed He started e
4 swear like trooper and half rose L
J. I give ME a short swing when d sky
rocket struck the top OF the wall I'm
j. mediately In front OF him and stucl
n there while It sent red and green BALI
!, back UP the hill Ia great shape.
THAT settled the iropworker III
, ducked down in hurry and beforl
g he had time TO think Of ne Again
L had rolled ten feet away anu wa
It sticking 10 the leeward side Of tn
wall trying TO keep my heart from
&, I choking me. / succeeded, but H. wa
l. hard work. and II was really week
Il before the effects OF my run and ia
q excitement had passed away.
!, "All the men and women who ha
" passed me In the stampede wer
keeping as close TO the wall as the
to could but there others coming an
ne the early arrivals had troubles q
IA their own. Somehow / escaped bu
few OF the others were so fortunate
The ironwOrker was A notable q
ample. Less than ten seconds aftf
the heels OF my patent feathers ha
an scraped along his back he snf1ere
another accident. This time he ha
an. encounter with man OF near b
n own weight who came over the fenS
An dragging a small boy with him.
N"rhey both landed on my would'l
" Antagonist and he gave yell thi
w could be heard above the noise OF II
explosions and the cries OF those
the crowd. Every one who could p
su see him concluded that a rocket Ia
u struck him and the women and glr
oi screamed with renewed energy J
sooner had the man and his boy mat
he their escape than two half-grown glf
is plunged over the wall and once mo
10 Ne ironworker yelled. One had lap
ed on his head and The other on }
- outsevetched arm. The ironwork
~ would have fought them, but no 81
~ vehtured 10 say word while he be
-"e forth He was a marked man, thou
and the persons near him made has
AIRS to give him wide berth. They we
tx conteut that he should suffer alos
cir OF course. there were other perso
tn fsampled upon. but Il seemed TO !
that he had more than his share
M hard luck
'o- , .srrha next morning / learned. IL