Willmar tribune., 1916-11-29
A Skating
ACCIDENT
By OSCAR COX

"Jim," said Charlie Rates excitedly,
what do you suppose has happened
to Alec Winston?"
"What7'
"Fell on the back Of his head on the
ice and has been unconscious for two
hours
THAT'S strange. Alec Is q splendid
skater"
1T wasn't his fault"
whose fault was 1t7'
"Billie's.''
you mean Wuhelmina Ripley's."
"Yes; she's the liveliest girl In town.
She's an imp of mischief. Her princi-
pal object in life seems to be to make
trouble"
You mean among the fellows. Why.
they stick to her like dies to mo-
lasses."
Tho more fools they
III report says correctly you are one
Of the biggest fools Of the lot. But
how did Miss Ripley injure Alec Win.
ston7"
"You see. they were skating together,
Alec skating backward, Billie forward.
For some time she had been trying to
stir up bad blood between Alec and
Horace Farrar by exercising that dia-
bollcal smile of hers
"You mean that seductive SMILE"
"Whatever you like to call it. Any
way, she first encouraged one, then
the other. She was skating with Alec.
He, having his eyes in the front In
stead Of the back Of his head, couldn't
see Farrar skating behind him with
Josie Emerson. Both men being back
to back, Billie thought it would be a
fine thing to steer Alec against Horace
When they struck Alec's feet went up
In the air, and he went down on the
back Of bis head
THAT'S too bad. 1 hope he didn't
crack his SKULL
THE doctor says not. He says there's
conclusion Of the BRAIN"
"Was Billie hurt7'
Hurt! No. Such persons never get
hurt. They are protected by Satan,
whom they serve. Billie went down,
but forward, not backward. and fell
partly ON Alec"
There was q pause in the dialogue, 1T
the end Of which James Barnet said to
Charlie Bates:
Charlie, this is q serious matter for
all you fellows who have gone daft on
Miss Ripley"
what do you meanT asked Bates.
looking 1t his friend anxiously.
"Why. she'll be badly broken up at
the serious result Of her innocent play
fulness."
Call It devilishness."
"She'll inquire a dozen times a day
after Alec, sending him spoon fodder
and flowers. AS soon as he gets well
enough to see her she'll go to him, CRY
little, wonder II he'll ever forgive
her, and the result will be that he'll
take her In with no more resistance on
her part than jellyfish."
Hell be fool II he does" cried
Bates excitedly, and, examining his
hands down into the bottom Of his
trousers pockets. he strobe up and
down the floor.
wv oSSAA O'CAoC " <2lcI UcAuS5
roped into the meshes of this imp of q
girl" remarked his friend.
NATURALLY. I've been there myself, "
replied Bates.
"Where:"
I'm Billie's good graces"
"Oh! You have, eh? How long did
you stay?"
IAN evening""
And the next day."
II was reduced to the ranks and
Alec was promoted"
II should think that you'd covet re.
venge on Alec"
''Oh. Alec Is an inoffensive' sort of q
fellow. He was quite smart boy be-
fore he had that fever. don't blame
him. My wrath is all for the girl"
you'd better keep 1t hot"
"What hot?'
"YOur wrath. Suppose it should COO
and Billie should take hold Of you
again. Where would you be?''
DO you take ME for an idiot?''
II take you for what we men oil ar
In the matter of women. So long.
must be moving on"
A week later the two friends me-
again.
II say. Jim" said Charlie, you wer,
en wrong about how that matter be