The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-04-28
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one end to the other, no short dis
lance, by the way, for Purdy is a man
or genius, and, of course, has the
distinguishing mark of genius-a
long nose.
But he helped me to my feet. and
he and Kate got out where il was
plain sailing, and told me to flourish
my arms and strike out. / fourished.
and struck out! / struck out with SO
much vigor that 1 struck ice all over,
and six feet of Potts lay prone upon
the surface of the pond.
Verify, the feet of the wicked do
take hold on slippery places.
Kate and Purdy righted me, and
gave me few instructions in the art
of skating, and told me to go it
alone.
1 set forth! Such a sensation as l
felt all over! My heels were running
away with my head in spite of me,
L had to keep both legs going as fast
as ever l could. for fear one would
stray too far from the other. A
mans legs, you know, were made to
travel in company. / leaned back as
far as l could, and kept no lookout
ahead. / left my head to the care of
Providence had my heels to look
after. You should have seen me! I
beat Lou Dillon. think, by the way
my head whirled.
L got in among a whole parcel of
women, or they got in among me.
l hardly know which; and as they cut
Il
and got me out of my groove. I tried
to stop! / threw out my arms and
seized something to steady me. 1t
proved to be a woman's skirt. RIM
rip! rip! went the Fuckers! A woman
screamed clutched the tighter.
and the next minute 1 came down
handsomely, and brought the woman
with me.
Then 1 tried to get up, but my
skate iron was hitched into some of
her furbelows, and when she tried to
get up she dragged me with her.
with my fine Grecian nose-that is
what Mrs. Potts calls it when she is
good-natured-carv the ice I'm all
kinds of figures.
"oh, Lordy!" SEE I, "1et go-do let
go, I say!"
Let go YOURSELF" says she, mad
as March hare, and kicking at me
the best woman knows how, "I'Il
have you horsewhipped for thIs!"
Just then / fetched a bounce. for
my nose came in contact with a root.
which nearly tore it out by the roots.
and made me determined to get at
the root of the matter! Down came
the woman again, and she clutched
me like tigressl What could / do?
l tore myself from her, but her skirt
still remained on my skate iron.
Madam" says 1, lifting my fore
top, for my hat had been lost sight
OF in the struggle, II beg"
never got any furtherl
Just then, looking up, | saw a sled
coming at lightning speed with two
ladies on it, propelled by a skater.
who ran behind them. They were
coming right in my track, and would
be sure to run me down! For on
skates had no control of my move
ments, and If tried to turn out one
way, l should be just as likely to
turn out the otherl
There was no time for deliberation
/ must so with them j removed one
leg from the other as far as possibly
could, and awaited the coming of the
sled. When it came was colossus
modern, of course-and when they
went to pass through me / sat down
on them
1t was doubtless a great shock to
them, but there are great many
shocking things i'm this world.
The women screamed, and above
their voices I heard another scream.
which sounded much like an impre-
cation. / cast my eyes shoreward
and beheld Mrs. Potts bearing down
upon us like a seventy-four gun
frigate.
Stop" says she. Potts, 7 com
mand you to stopl"
u cant, my dear" says 7. II am
no longer a creature Of my own Volt
ton. / should like to, but can't"
Mrs. Potts made a dash toward us
the sled struck her hard she screamed
and came down, and the sled bounced.
turned the other side over. and land
ed us all in heap on the body of
Mrs. Potts. Il was, probably. the
softest place on the ice.
But Mrs Potts was anything buf
soft about IT, She pummeied IT.
head, and she called me all the har,
names In the dictionary, and vowec
she'd get divorce from me for sit
ting in the laps of two women
once.
told her it was an accident, bu