Harper's Young People, January 17, 1882 An Illustrated Weekly

JUST FOR FUN.

BY MATTHEW WHITE, JUN.

Percy Vance was a stranger in the town and a new scholar at the grammar school. His age was set down in the roll-book as twelve, but judging from his height the girls thought he must be past fifteen, while the boys, after noting the slimness of his figure, the paleness of his face, and the timid look in his great gray eyes, declared he could not be over ten.

None of the lads had ever seen him run, and as for playing games, Ted Harley affirmed that he "didn't know a marble from a top."

But there was something the new-comer did know, and that was his lessons; so it was not long before he stood at the head of several classes.

"He must study straight along from the time school's out till supper, and I say it isn't fair," Dan Tregwin was wont to complain; "for a fellow who wants to have some fun now and then don't stand any chance at all."

But the boys soon forgot all about "Percy, the Prig," as he was called by some, in the joys of the first big snow-storm the town had been favored with for several years.

In the afternoon of the day succeeding the storm Ted Harley and Dan Tregwin were taking turns dragging one another on Ted's long "coaster" toward the steepest hill in town, when Dan suddenly stopped so short that the sled caught him by the legs and threw him down.

"Well, what next?" he exclaimed, as he picked himself up. "Here's Percy Vance actually coasting!" And he called Ted's attention to a boy rapidly approaching them down a side street.

As he reached the bottom of the slope Percy guided himself around the corner, and went skimming on in the same direction as his school-mates.

It was at this moment that an unusually loud jingle of bells was heard behind them, and as the lads swerved to one side a large handsome sleigh, drawn by four coal-black horses, passed them like a flash.

Dan and Ted instinctively shouted "Hurrah!" and even Percy stood up to stare after the merry party with longing eyes.

"Hi, quick!" suddenly cried Ted, "they've stopped at that house down there. Let's cut along and get a good look;" and all three boys were soon by the side of the four-in-hand, the occupants of which had gone in to make a call, leaving the sleigh in charge of the coachman.

"Whose is it, I wonder?" whispered Dan, feasting his eyes on the silver-mounted harness, the Russian bells, and the gayly colored plumes.

"I'm pretty certain it doesn't belong in town here," returned Ted.

But just then the coachman called out: "I say, lads, will ye stand by thim layders' heads a bit?"

Dan and Ted at once sprang forward.

"And you," continued the man, turning to Percy, "just climb up to that sate, and hould these lines whilst I take a look at that off-whaler's foot. Don't pull on 'em now, mind ye," concluded the good-natured Irishman, as he assisted young Vance to his high perch, and placed the reins in his hands.

At the same instant Ted and Dan exchanged whispers in which the word "fun" might have been heard. Then, as the coachman's right foot left the step, they both chirruped softly to the horses, and let go their hold.

The effect was almost magical. All four of the spirited animals started off with a jerk that threw the coachman on his back in the street, and came near sending Percy after him.

The terrified driver leaped to his feet in an instant, but how could he hope to stop the team? His shouts and the wild clangor of the bells speedily brought the whole party out of the house, but they, too, were powerless.

Dan and Ted, who had merely meant to make the restive horses rear a bit "just for fun," to frighten "the prig," thinking that the coachman could easily clamber up again and pull them in, rushed from the spot with faces paler than Percy's and hearts that beat fast and loud from other causes than running.

Meantime how fared it with the victim of the "fun"?

As soon as he recovered from the shock of the sudden start, Percy pulled on the lines with all his might. But the flying animals scarcely noticed the tightening rein. Only aware that the iron grip with which they were usually held was no longer there to restrain them, they tore along at a mad pace, plunging and snorting with the joy of unaccustomed freedom.

Fortunately the street was but little travelled, but then there was the steep hill to go down.

The boy's naturally timid heart almost failed him utterly as he fully realized the danger, and for a moment he was tempted to throw himself back among the robes and hide his face from the disaster that was all but certain.

But suddenly his eye lit up with an unusual fire; he took a fresh hold on the lines, braced his feet, leaned back, and prepared to face the worst.

With a whirl, a rush, and a swaying from side to side, the four-horse runaway neared the steep descent. In an instant the boys toiling up with their sleds gave the cry of warning, and the hill was cleared. Then, with eyes almost starting from their heads, they gaze after the brief vision of Percy Vance driving a four-in-hand at lightning speed.

As for Percy himself, he can scarcely realize that the dreaded coasting hill has been left behind with no wrecked sleigh, wounded horses, and bruised boy to keep it company. But hardly has he had time to congratulate himself on his escape when another noise mingles with the rattle of the bells, and the next instant he finds that he is started on a mad race with a train of cars.

With a cold thrill of terror coursing through his frame, Percy now recollects that the road runs parallel with the railroad track for a mile or more in the open country, and then crosses it. And here is the train beside him.

Spurred on to yet greater speed by the thunder of the cars the horses rush onward. The keen wind cuts Percy's face almost as sharply as a knife, while the thought of the crossing fairly burns itself into his brain.

Oh, why does not the engineer remember it too, and put an end to the terrible contest?

But still ever on, tearing, whirling, rushing, plunging, go engine and cars, horses and sleigh, neither gaining on the other.

To Percy it seemed as if the race had lasted all his life-time. But in reality it had only continued a moment or two, when the engine slowed up, the horses were allowed to dash on ahead, and the sleigh flew victoriously over the crossing just in front of the iron monster, that, puffing forth great clouds of steam and smoke, waited for it to pass.

Another narrow escape; but how long could this go on? Percy's hands were becoming numb from the cold, his head was beginning to swim from the long-sustained excitement, and-- Here is a sharp turn in the road, the point thickly grown with trees, and the sound of bells coming from the other side.

A brief instant of suspense, and the corner is reached. There are shouts of warning, cries of horror, and then it seemed to Percy as if he had suddenly gone to sleep.