The Imperishable Boy

The best authorities nmong soientiflo persons have long conceded the fact that it is impossible to kill a boy by any of the recognized processes of demolition. He tnmbles off chestnut trees and f'alls down wells with impunity; he is perfectly happy in the midst of harrowing railroad accidents, and prematurely enthusiastic Fourth of July explosions afford him intense delight; the most persistent book agente h&ve done little more than discourage him, and able-bodied streaks of s'immer lightning have passeá him by with disgust. Yesterday afternoon there was a Pr. sistent recurrenoe of ominous silenoe and '. liilarious langhter among the two dozen r or more carriers of the Free Press that became so monotonous that -we feit called upon to investígate. We looked, and bchold ! the boys had invented a new game, hafing all the elements of dangerous fun neoessary to perfect enjoyment. One boy stood with his back against the wall; the next boy stooped down with his head in the first boy's stomach; the third boy stooped with 'his head on the second boy's back, and in tbis way the line of boys was continued back as far as desirable. Then all the spare boys took a running leap in succession, and, putting tlieir hands on the hindmost boy, jumped over as many as possible, to come down at the end of the jump on .a boy'a neck with the force of an iiifantile pile-driver, and the next boy comes down on him in the same way, the efforts of the jumpers being directed to breaking the line of the stoopers or their necks, either object appearing to be equally desirable and attainable. The position of the boy against the wall is one of great honor and responsibility. It requires a boy of strong stomach to enjoy the process of having the head of another boy driven into his waistband by the continued eñbrts of fifteen of his fellows. Sometimes the jumpers become unbearably enthusiastio, and the JJ dgOillJOU VLLKD W ÍXÍÍ 1111UO 1U llCtJüHBitl V HJ step aside to re-swallow his dinñer. This gives the stooping boy a chance to distinguían himself, as his head is jammed against the wall so hard that he ï'eels liis ears sticking out under his arms. Sometimes it happens that a small, consumptive boy gets into the line of stoopers, and when a big boy comes down on liis back he breaks in two, and this causes a hiatus that is immediately filled by the stoopers in the rear, who sprawl on their noses and elbows, while the remaining jumpers cavort over them like a cavalry chprge. We always like to encourage little james of this kind. They have a soothing effect upon market bilis, the noise outside and the undertaker. The game to which we refer has resulted in no mortality so far; but it is only three days old, and wc have an abiding hope.