The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-10-31
THE TESTING OF JIMMY.
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BY TUDOR JENKs.

heard him knock on Jimmy's door
a good loud pound, so as to wake him
II he were asleep. Then he shouted,
oh, Jim! I say, JIM oh, Jim.
Jams!''
There was no answer, and then
came another cheer, and we held our
/ breath. Hal was hoisting the sofa.
We saw him, In our minds eye. Ho.
ratio, and then down she came!
1t wasn't quite so sharp and thrill
Ing as when Sanderson's stove fell,
but we reflected that the sofa was
Jimmy's, and burst into vociferous
applause. Rackety, bang, slam! That
meant 1t had reached the next floor.
Then came pause. But the third
floor dwellers knew their duty, and
they did it like men We heard the
doors open as the dauntless men
sprang to their posts, and almost ere
we could realize that the sofa had
passed in its downward course, II
was again in full career. Bang, bang,
bumpety, wrench, SLANT It had
reached the second floor.
Nor were there wanting willing
hands here to carry on the good work.
We heard them spring from their
chairs and rally to the task The sofa
was, though somewhat disjointed
still in one piece, and without undue
delay was sent to try the perils OF
the last descent.
About here it gave up the ghost as
competent sofa, and alighted in the
stone-paved lower hall most pictur
esque ruin, exuding real horsehair
from many gaping aperture, and
shedding splinters from its inmost
frame. Less exciting was the task
OF the dwellers on the ground floor,
but Il was nevertheless willingly per.
formed. Their duty was to remove
all rubbish shot from the floors
above; and the sofa now merited the
name. Three stalwart sophomores
raised the battered frame and hurried
1t forth into the college yard, aban.
doning 1t there for whom it might
concern, and leaving it alone in it's
glory.
| Then we sat at the windows, watch.
ing for the return of Jimmy. One
or two, forced to attend recitations
| dragged themselves unwillingly from
the scene, but most of us waited with.
out impatience the appearance of his
elegant form.
1t was just darkening from twilight
when Jimmy sailed into the college
yard with flower in his buttophole;
but this was only an oversight, for
believing himself unobserved, we saw
him hastily remove the boutonniere
and pocket it-a fact we noted for
future inquiry, but passed over in
our greater interest of finding out
Just how Jimmy was going to take
this first infliction of the lawful pen.
atty upon his household goods.
Much hung in the balance. / had
always liked Jimmy, and / believed
his excessive neatness and nicely was
a mere home fault--something he
would outgrow And yet / might be
wrong. Jimmy might have a heart
that could not rise above sofas and
such; and in moment we ambushed
watchers would know all.
| We saw him pause at the ruin. We
saw him gaze at the address, still
legible in large letters upon the
! wreckage. We saw him rise to his
full height and gaze eagerly around
him. Was he seeking some one on
whom to wreak his ire-some victim
of his vengeance?
| | trembled. But in a moment
was rejoiced, for l saw / had done
him a wrong by my momentary
doubt.
For. Jimmy, having assured himself
that the coast was clear, that no
sneaking tutor was in sight, drew
from his pocket his matchbox, struck
a light, and set fire to the splintered
ruin.
Then he took to his heels, for we'll
he knew the faculty had strictly for.
hidden all bonfires in the college
yard. But his retreat was merely So
phomoric prudence, and most com
mendable.
AS the flames eagerly licked up the
glittering varnish and miscellaneous
fuel, evolving a most dense and poig
nant smoky odor from the horsehair.
and seized with lightsome joy upon
some excelsior used in packing, our
overburdened hearts were relieved
by an outburst Of cheering and most
delightful fanfare upon the tin horns
cherished for such emergencies.
Jimmy was received with open
arms, forever redeemed from suspi
cion of being "fusser" or dude.
He who had seen in the destruction
of forty-dollar sofa only the oppor
tunity for an uplifting and exhilarat
ing bonfire was true sophomore af
ter all, and thereafter he might array
himself as he liked, for we knew his
heart was in the right place.-Wo.
mans Home Companion.