Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-08
,ave the All Athletes come over and

ssShe'll be looking in the papers," i said Allendale. ssThen wherel you l be?''
 ssGot that all fixed. Told her the All Athletes had row with the pa pers a year or two ago and wouldn't send them the scores any more; and, in fact, had forbidden the papers to l print word about them"
 Well, keep it up, Traffy," said Al lendale, gravely, ''but remember, my son, you are on dangerous ground, and if were you I wouldn't make more than four or five touchdowns in each game.''
 The next time Trafford went around to call on Miss Jukes he was what Allendale called a work of art. He had five beautiful scratches, made with camel's hair brush and red paint, on one cheek; he had black strip of court plaster across the bridge of his nose, and cafried one arm in sling.
 There were four or five husky look l ing young men with their faces pie turesquely marred sitting in the Jukes front par1or and they all l looked disheartened when Trafford l appeared.
 Miss Jul<es drew out the softest 1 and easiest chair for Trafford, and when he sat down with all the grace and agility of broken backed camel she drew up little stool and sat down in front of him, and begged for the story of the Ohio game. The | opportunity was splendid. one and Trafford, who was a fluent talker. if he was not a great football hero, caught the inspiration and related the story of a game that had it really occurred must have gone down in football history as the greatest gridiron struggle ever recorded. As Trafford looked at her and I thought of the deceit he was practic- ] ing the whole weight of his wicked ness suddenly bore in upon him and his face twitched and he gave groan before he was aware of it. "O," said Miss Jukes in dismay, and the husky youths looked at him in l astonishment.
 "I-I," said Trafford, feebly, "1'm afraid I'm an awful baby. But I l Il l wrenched my collar bone the other l day, and it hurts
 Miss Jules' eyes almost dimmed with tears. ssYou football men are so plucky,' she said. She got some more sofa pillows and fixed Traffords l arm so that he would not let it drop and cause his poor collar bone to pain him so terribly again. Trafford I sat the other football heroes out that evening, and after they were all gone l he staid for quite an hour and had Miss Jukes all to herself for the first | time in long month. But a bomb l shell exploded when he was saying good night.
 I s'I am going to give you little sur l prise,'' said Miss Jukes. You may 1 have felt slighted because I have gone to see the other boys play, but have never been out to one of your games. We'll, papa, mamma, and I are going out next Saturday after noon. You say that your eleven is going to play away out somewhere T on the West side, and I want you to tell us how to get there. And, do l you know, some of the other football men are just crazy to go. I am sorry, Mr. Trafford,'' she said, with little sigh, ssbut they seem awfully jealous of you and would say all manner of horrid things if would let them, but won't. But they are crazy to see you play, and some of them have begged off from their own games l just to go with us, and want you to show them what real football hero is. And you will, won't you?" I What was he to do? At first he de- cided to organize team and hire some other football aggregation to l play them, but the thought of the sorry figure he would cut on the l gridiron strained him. Then he re called the gibes and taunts of Miss Jukes' real football friends when they found out the truth, and how she would hate him for being such faker. He was So deep in his thoughts that he did not hear the whirring of an automobile that was tearing down upon him at about three times the rate of speed per mitted by the city council. The
 next he knew he was lying in the
 white ward of hospital. At first he gave himself up to the agony of
 despair. Then he realized that per haps there was way out.
 It was two days later that Allen
 dale had note from Trafford tell
 ing of the accident and the name of
 the hospital where Trafford was ly-
 ing. He hurried over at once.
 "Poor old Traffy," he said, bend
 ing over the cot, ''I got you into all
 that mess. I suppose now it's got
 to come out, and of course Miss
 Jukes will never look at you again
 I'm awful sorry, old man, but maybe
 if we make clean breast of it
 and-'
 "Ncw, don't spoil things" said
 Trafford under his bandages. ssSee
 these flowers, Ally? She sent lem
 She was here a moment ago. That
 automobile never stopped, and I was
 brought here by cabman, and nc
 one knows anything about the affair
 except the interne that's taking care | oE haze f7-io 0f