Middletown transcript., 1909-02-20
DR.. SINGLETON'S COAST
BY IRA RICH KRkf

nlght, ana Jl6 HneS6 CodSbuS Va
the winter. From DIR. Single.
tons house, at the top of Keeler's
Hill, down the steep, hard-packed
road, through the Corners, and
straight out to the sawmill few
the big and little sleds.
Zip went the ''jumbers, fast
but uncertain, balanced by wav-
ing legs. Chur-ur.ur-ur came
the single sleds, with their riders
going "bell-bunt." Pnr-r-r r-r-
that was Jim Blair's little "tra-
verse, home made, hard to steer,
and tleeter than the wind.
Then as a magnificent climax,
came the roaring rush of Billy
Moore's wonderful new double
runner, the Meteor, that held
ten, and had pulleys for its guide
ropes, besides being painted
scarlet and gold.
The "coast" from the doctors
straight down to the sawmill was
about a third Of a mile. Turning
sharply to the right at the Cor
ners, however, set one on the
long, steep, winding road that
led from the hill village, q mile
and a half down to the river val
lev. Once in while some ven
turesome spirit essayed this as
an especial adventure, but the
hill was too steep and crooked
and the walk back too long to be
popular.
Eleven O'Clock! That is late
in the Corners neighborhood! All
the girls and the small boys, and
many of the bigger ones, had
gone to bed surfeited with sport.
Only the gluttons remained.
Billy Moore and three of his
cronies swung the scarlet Meteor
about at the top of the hill and
prepared to 60 down once more.
The door of DR., Singleton's
house was opened, letting out a
broad beam of lamplight. In the
centre of it was the doctor in
overcoat and tippet, bag in hand.
O Billy, Billy Moore, are you
out there? The little doctors
pleasant voice had a hint of anx-
iety in it.
Yes, sir. Billy stopped wind
ing the steering-ropes round his
hands.
Wait a moment, Billy. The
doctor closed the door behind
him and came trotting down to
the road. Don't you want me
for a passenger?
Yes, Of course! Come on, DIR.
Singleton! Hooray!
The little doctor was popular;
q jolly, boyish look in his wrin'
kled face and twinkiing eyes told
why plainly enough.
No, this is serious, boys. Will
liam Cove has just telephoned up
that his baby is sick. 1t may be
only little croupy; but he does
not know, and his wife is young
and frightened to death. Old
Nancy's is the barn, dead lame,
and I've driven the new horse
forty miles to-day. Don't you
boys want to take me clear down
the hill on the Meteor? And
then when I've Strengthened out
young Mr.. Cove, we'll all pull
the sled back together, and have
some supper at my house.
OF course! Come on! Hooray
Well get you there in no time!
This from Maurice and Harvey
Kelton and Mahlon Goodnough.
The Meteor did not belong to
them.
The owner and captain was less
enthusiastic; William Cove lived
at the foot of the "big hill" But
his pride spurred him. The Me-
teor's reputation and his own
were at stake.
I'll take you down all right,
doctor. Get on here next to me.
Maurice, you and Mahlon sit
next. All ready? Push her off,
Harve!
The passengers took their
places as he indicated; Harvey
"pushed of, " and sprang aboard
at the last moment in the ap.
proved side position, resting on
one hip; and the Meteor leaped
downward to the rescue of Wills
liam Goye's baby!
Keeler's Hill was icy and
smooth; the double-runner reach.
ed the Corners under terrific
headway. At the psychological
moment steersman Billy pulled
sharply to the right. The rear
bob 'ssl6ed."
Everybody lean! cried the dec
tor.
The MeteoS Strengthened her.
a 4 ~ Z