The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1921-06-30

g
and 4 used to consider It funny, and
would Sit on the floor and laugh with
sdemoniac glee. But II I fell out Of bed
now It would be necessary to ring up
the Red Cross headquarters Tor an am
sbulance and few nurses.
SIT is that sort OF thing which makes
age tragic. Every little mishap means!
suffering to the elderly individual. Go
think Of It, in silence and alone, Mrs.
Jiggers.
II remember when I first learned to-
skate. I was q young man, just grow,
ing my maiden sideboaris should
have learned the noble art when was.
boy, but my education In honest.
sports had been sadly neglected. It's
better late than never, as the old nd
age has 1t, and SO took up the study
OF skating when was ut the voting
age. It was on a brilliant winter day,
and MI the beauty and chivalry Of the
neighborhood had gathered at the
pond to see me do my devoir.
An expert skater who was present
assured me that there was no trick TO
1t. All needed was confidence, he
said, and believed him. 1t looked
passing easy, us i watched tha Others
gliding ovsr5Sthe ice with ease and
grace. So / fastened on my skates and
stood erect, with the help of d couple
Of innocent bystanders, and then !
went forward boldly, ON my own initt
atiyc. Immediately I lost control 81
my feet, which previously had beer
docilc and obadient organs. They
+ wouldn't do anything wanted them
to, and the result was that ] came
down on the back OF my head with
such emphasis that shook the whole
pond. which was several miles long
The crack In the ice that made with
my head was there until the ice melted
70 the spring, and then you could see
it In the water.
II lay there in a colnatose condition
| for minute or two, and then seram'
bled to my feet and smiled. Yes, my
dear Mrs. Jiggers, actually smiled
The smile may have been pallid
sickly thing. but 1t was true to type
and couldn't have been mistaken fol
anything else. I was so little injured
by that cataclysmic fall that could
smile. Not bone was broken, not q
join q. hours was
as coed G.; ): s:s, W, ~. y. the 1
a lump on the back Of my head about
the size OF baked turnip.
"OutwarGly / look much as die
then. People often say to me that
haven't aged any in a quarter Of q
century. My hair is like the ravens
wing, my alabaster brow has few
wrinkles, / have the stately and com
manding port Of a man half my age
But it is ali "a delusion, Mrs. Jiggers
| 1 am wDitca scpulcher. Inwardly
am as Old as any man, and my bone:
| are brittle as pirc stems, and my mus
| cles ire all dried UP, and il stumble
oger pincushion I dlslocate an ankle
or brcals aieg.
" "TIc other day / stepped on an or
| ange peel AMI came down on the side
walk. I didn't fall Violently In fact
/ it tool mo ten minutes to fall. / strug
gled so hard to save myself, graspini
at tho atmosphere and trying to bal
1 ance myself like tight rope walker
But wlle:, did eventually reach tn,
/ pavement felt as though the end hat
/ conc 10 my ,nisspent life. My heat
achcd for three days, and all my bone'
felt out OF plnce. and my teeth were
loose ii their sockets. This thing o
being old. Mrs. Tigers, isn't what IT.
cracked M TO be-"
! Very Likely.
Church. "Do you remember wheI