Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-05-07

The royal retainer nodded solemnly
at the wide eyed group. Course yOr
cam"
"W'hy," spouted Jimmie, "you JUS
ought to see me ride once! You just
ought to see me! Why, I can 60 like
the wind! Can't l, Clarence? And
can ride far, too-oh, awful far! CAM
I, Clarence? Why. l wouldn't have
that one. 'Tain't any good! You Just
ought to see mine oncer'
The overwhelmed Horace attempted
to reconstruct his battered glories. 81
can ride right over the curbstone-at
some of the crossin's," he announced
brightly.
Jimmie's derision was a splendid
sight fright over the curbstone!
Why. that wouldn't be nOthin' for me
to DO! I've rode mine down Bridge
street hill. Yessir! Amt l, Clarence
Why, it amt nOthin' to ride over q
curbstone-not for me! Is 1t, Clar
ence"
"Down Bridge street hill? You new.
err" said Horace hopelessly.
"Well, didn't l, Clarence? Didn't
now?"
The faithful retainer again nodded
solemnly at the assemblage.
At last Horace, having fallen as low
as was possible, began to display q
spirit for climbing up again. "Oh, yob
can do wondersr' he said, laughing
"You can do wonders! s'pOse yo,
could ride down that bank there?" he
asked, with art. He had indicated n
grassy terrace some six feet in height
which bounded one side of the walk
At the bottom was a small ravine IN
which the reckless had flung ashes and
tins. Il s'pose you could ride down
that bank?"
All eyes now turned upon Jimmie t.
detect sign of his weakening. but he
instantly and sublimely arose to the
occasion THAT Dank? he asked
scornfully. "Why, I've ridden down
banks like that many time. Amt I,
Clarence!"
This was too much for the company.
A sound like the wind in the leaves
arose. 1t was the song Of incredulity
and ridicule "O-O-o-o-o" And OF.
the outskirts a little girl suddenly
shrieked out. "Story teller!'
Horace had certainly won skirmisl
He was gleeful. "Oh, you can do Won
dersw he gIrglel. You can do won-
dersw The neighbOrhood's superficial
hostility to foreigners arose like mag
ic under the influence of his sudden
success, and Horace had the delight o.
seeing Jimmie prosecuted in that man
ner known only to children and in
sects.
Jimmie called angrily to the boy OH
the velocipede, "If you'll lend me
yours, I'll show you whether | can or
not"
Horace turned his superior nOse in
the air. "Oh, no! don't ever lend ii. -
Then he thought of a blow which
would make Jimmie's humiliation COM
plete. Besides" lie said airily, 'tain't
really anything Lard to do. could do
it-easy-if | wanted to-"
But his supposed adherents, instead
of receiving this boast with cheers,
looked upon him in Il sudden blank 81
lence Jimmie and his retainer pounc-
ed like cats upon their advantage.
"Oh,' they yelled. you couli. ell?
Well, let's see you do it, then! Let's
see you do it! Let's see you do it.
Now." In moment the crew Of little
spectators were gliding at Horace
The blow that would make Jimmie's
boomeranged Horace into the mud. He
kept up sullcn muttering:
"'Tain't really anything! could II
| wanted to-"
'Dare you tow screeched Jimmie and
his partisans. Dare you to. Dare
you to. Dare you to-
There were two things to be done
to make gallant effort or to retreat.
Somewhat to their amazement the
children at last found Horace moving
through their clamor to the edge OF
the bank. Sitting on the velocipede.
he looked at the ravine and then with
gloomy pride ut the other children. a
hush came upon them, for it was seen
that he was intending to make some
kind of an antemortem statement.
"F'- he began; then he vanished
from the edge of the walk. The start
had been unlntentonal-an accident.
The stupefed Jimmie saw the calam.
ity through haze. His first clear
vision was when Horace. with a face
as red as red flag, arose bawling
from his tangled velOcipede. He and
his retainer exchanged glance Of hor
ror and fed the neighborhood. They
did not look back until they had reach
ed the top Of the hill near the lake.
They could see Horace walking slowly
under the naples toward his home.
pushing his shattered velocipede before
him. His chin was thrown high. and
the breeze bore them the sound Of his
ho,yIc