Page 34 - The model orator, or, Young folks' speaker : containing the choicest recitations and readings from the best authors for schools, public entertainments, social gatherings, Sunday schools, etc. : including recitals in prose and verse ...

baGk Tucker remained cooler tha;i the majority, and for the first thirty
ill in ut e5 of the second half he simply played a careful, conservative
game, Then ys lie s iw the time pass and .still no score, his temper
began to rise and twice lie took desperate chances in going round the
end for small gains. When forty minutes had passed the golden line
had pushed the ball close up to the opponents' fifteen yard line and
there they lost it after some hard play.
4. A light breeze started at the moment from behind the goal posts
and Tucker saw the big scarlet full-back prepare for a long kick down
the field and he retired almost to the centre, His captain sawlr/n and
signalled for him to come up closer. It was in vain. Tho next
moment the leather oval was swinging through the ah’, and, borne by

the breeze, .swept toward the southern go ah
5. Calculating il/> descent with unerring accuracy Tucker paused
and then dashing forward caught it as it fell, and at top speed made
for the two till posts where the scarlet veterans were. The field was
scattered, but at twenty-five yards lie found himself hemmed in 0:1 the
left and front, by a solid mass of red. With a quick turn that did not
diminish his speed, he swerved to the right and sprang ahead, shaking
off the huge guard and agile end of the opposing team. The goal was
not five yards away now, but could he reach it? Between him nndthe
goal stood one man— the wiry and terrible scarlet half-back, who was
poised forward, prepared for the shock,
6. Gathering every effort of his muscles together, Tucker stamped
one foot on the ground and with a mighty spring, threw himself head­
first over his opponents head. Taken by surprise the man in scarlet
missed his hold upon the waist and clasped him by the feet instead.
The impetus of his spring carried him to the edge of the white goal
line, and with a wrench he dragged himself over it— and then half
a ton of yelling humanity fell on top of him, The crowd 011 the
eastern stand, where a blaze of golden ribbons and Hags told of their

sympathies, let loose a ydl Yet even amidst the pandemonium every
eye wras on the little heap of players at the goal posts.
7. When, at last, as one by one the men in sear let picked themselves