Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-11-10

1
And all that day things LOOKED
black. Ralph's countenance was col,
and hard as stone, and Shocky trem
| blcd where he sat in front OF him.
| Betsy Short Uttered rather more thai
usual. y riot or murder would have
seemed amusing to her.
School was dismissed, and Ralph
| instead of returning to the Squire,
set out for the village of Clifty few
miles away. No one knew what ht
went for, and some suggested that hC
had "sloped. But Bud said " hC
warn't that air kind. He was one o.
| them air sort as died in ther tracks
was Mr. HartsoolI. They'd find him
oil the ground mex morning, and lie
lowed the master war made of that
air sort Of stuff as would burn the
dOg-on'd ole schOOl-hOuse to ashes, o!
blow it into splinters, but what he'd
beat. Howsumdever he's said he was
a-gOin' TO help, and help he would
but all the sinuoo in Collier wouldn'
he 10 account agin the cute they was
in the head of the MASTER"
But Bud, discouraged as he was with
the fear OF Ralph's ''cutc," went like
martyr to the stake and took his
place with the rest in the schOol-house
at nine o'clock at night. 1t may have
been Ralph's intention to have preoc-
cupied the school-house, for at ten
O'clock Hank Banta was set shaking
from head to foot at seeing face that
looked like the masters at the window.
He walked up Bud and told him about
it.
W ell, what are you a tremblin'
about, you cOward?" grOwled Bad.
He won't shoot you; but he'll beat
you at this game, I'll bet hOss, and
me, too, and make us both as 'shamed
of ourselves rs dogs with tin-kittles
to their tails. You don't know the
master, though he did duck you. But
he'll larn you good lesson this time,
and me too, like as not" And Bud
soon snored again, but Hank shook
with fear every time he looked at the
blackness outside the windows. He
was sure he heard footballs. He would
have given anything TO have been at
home.
When morning came, the pupils be-
gan to gather early. y few boys who
were likely to prove of service in the
coming siege were admitted through
the window, and then everything was
made fast, and Il snack" was eaten.
How do you low hell git ili ?'i
said Hank, trying to hide his fear.
How do l 'lOw?" said Bud. II
don't low nothin' about it. You
might as well AK me where | low the
mex shoOtin' star is a-goin' to drap,
Mr.. HartsOOk's mighty onsartin. But
he'll git in, though, and tan your hide
fer you, you see eff he don't. III he
don't blow up the school-house with
gun-powder." This was thrown i'll
by way of alleriating the fears of the
cowardly Hank, for whom Bud had a
great contempt.
The time for school had almost
come. The boys inside were demoral-
lied by waiting. They began to hope
that the master had "slopcd.n They
dreaded to see him coming.
a. don't believe he'll come, said
Hank, with a cold shivcr, " It's past
school-timc
." Yes, he will come, too" said Bud.
1" And he lows to come in here mighty
quick. ! don't know how. But he'll
be standin' at that air desk when it's
nine O'Clock. I'll bet thousand dol
lars on that RI he don't take it into
his head to blow us up" Hank was
now white.
Some of the parents came along, acci-
IDENTIFY ofcourse, and stopped to see the
fun, sure that Bud would thrash the
master if he tried 20 break in. Small,
on the way to see a patient perhaps,
reincd up in front of the door. Stlll
l.
before nine. y rumOr now gained
currency that he had been seen going
to Clifty last evening, and that he had
not come back, though in fact Ralph
had come back, and had slept at squire
Hawkins's.
"There's the MASTER" cried Betsey
Short, who stood out in the road, shlV-
ering and 2iggling alternately; FOR
Ralph at that moment emerged from
the sugar-camp by the school-h0use,
carrying board.
"Ho! hou laughed Hank, "he
thinks he'll smoke. us out. | guess
he'll find us ready" The boys had
let the fire burn down, and there was
now nothing but hot hickory coaison
the hearth.
Il tell you he'll come iii. lie didn't
90 to Clifty fer nOthin'," aid Bud,
who sat still on one of the benches
which leaned against the door. Il
don't know how, but they's lots Of
ways of killing Il cat besides chokin'
her with butter. He'll come in-Cf lie
don't blow US all sky-high.n
Ralph'S voice was now heard, de
mamding that the door bc opened.
I nt1., nro,, hnr- - .ni,l t,,,.,,
ing livid with fear at the firm, conf
dent tone of the master.
Bud Strengthened himself ur.-
"Hank, you're a coward. I've got a
mind TO kick you. You got me into
this blamed mess, and now you want
to funk. You jest tech one of these ere
fastcnings, and III lay you out fiat of
your back afore you can say Jack
Robinson
The teacher was climbing to The roof
with the board I'm hand.
That air won't win" ;" laughed Pete
Jones outside. He saw that there was
no smoke. Even Bud began TO hope
that Ralph would fail for once The
master was now on the Tidge-pole of
the school-hOuse. He took a paper
from his pocket, and deliberately pour
ed the contents down the chimney.
Mr. Pete Jones shouted "Gunpow-
derw and started down the roal to be
out of the way of the explosion. DR..
Small remembered, probably, that his
patient might die while he sat there,
and started on.
But Ralph emptied the paper, and
laid the board over the chimney. What
low there was inside! The benches
that were braced against the door were
thrown down, and Hanka Banta rush
ed out, rubbing his eyes, coughing
frantically, and sure that he had been
blown up. All the rest followed, Bud
bringing up The rear sulkily, but
coughing, and sneczing for dear life.
Such a smell of sulphur as came from
that schOOl-house,
Betsey had TO lean against the fence
70 giggie.
AS soon as all were out, Ralph
threw the board off the chimney. leap
ed TO the ground, entered the school
house, and opened the windows. The
school soon followed him, and all was
still.