Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-01-28

again. We thought they didn't apprcci-
ate their privileges.
Then came boy carrying bucket Of
water, to be used IN washing the paint
from the faces Ct the actors after the
tragedy was over. We were anxious TO
help him but he would not allow us to
do it would not even let us lay hand
on the bucket and walk in beside him.
We considered that meanness unparal-
leled.
The minister and his wife came next |;
and then people hogan to arrive so rapidly
that We could not count them or keep
track of them. A good mauy Of the fell
lows of our school were among them, but
they we're all dressed up and all had la
dies With them
When, at last we vcntured in, every
seal was occupied, and many men were
standing in the aisles about the dooi 1t
was hopeless for us. We had seen the
backs of Sunday coats often enough, and
did not care to spend that evening in ac-
quiring minute knowledge Of them. We
turned away. reluctant to give up our last
hope Of seeing the terrific combat, yet
hardly knowing what to do. But as we
tnrned, Fred's eye caught sight Of small
scuttle-hole in the ceiling directly over
she stage. r.H
"Oh, why didn't we think said he,
Ito get into the attic before the exhihi.
tion commenced2 We could see it all
through the scGtlle !" We knew all about
that attic. A light ladder which gener-
all stood il QUE COT ner OF the sen, oil. room,
was used for ascending to it aud the lunl-
Der, Of which the stage extension was
built, was kept up there, as well as cur
tains and other fixtures, that We're used
only on special occasions We had once
or twice been permitted to 60 to the top
of the ladder and take peep into it.
"lsn't there some way we could get
there now ?" said [. ..
Fred thought awhile. IF we could
climb the Iightniugrod," said he, per
haps we could get the scuttle in the root
open, and then we'd be all right"
"Let's try" said |, with gimmcr of
hope. We ran arouuu to where the rod
reached the ground. He boosted me,
and boosted hun in turn, aad we Spat on
our hands and rabhed sand on our shoes
but il was Of no uau--neither Of us couli
Climb The rod any further than he was
| boosted.
Cant We get ladder p said l. as we
looked at the rod despaitingly, end
wished the spikes and glass knobs were
nearer together.
AT the same tmo, our anxiety and Gu
rosity were intensified by the sound Of
laughter aud applause that came from the
inside, as john Orton spoke his comic
declaration.
Fred thought perhaps Mr. Crouch, who
lived next door to the school-house. had u
ladder, AS he was carpenter. We went
into his yard and looked about. There,
sure enough, under long low, open she'd +,
we found a ladder hung upon two great
pegs.
We took it out and with some difflcul.
ty got it over the fence into the school
yard. To ra,se it against the builiing
was quite task for US, it came as near
as possible to crashing through one Of the
windows. When finally ii was fairly
raised, imagine our disgust at finding
that it reached not quite to the roof I.
Then our souls sank to the very bottom
of despair. But Fred found our last ex.
pcdient,
In tell you" said he, ''if we had it
on the wood.Shed /, would reach"
The wood. she'd was few feet distant
from the wall Of the SCHOOL, souse, and
its roof sloped toward it.
but how can we get it there p said
|, not very hopefully.
Put the ladder against the she'd, aud
then 60 up and pull it up after US" he
answered, with growing confidence,
We tried it. The first step was easy
enough it was the second step which
cost. Still. our recent experience had
taught us something of the way to ham
die and manage ladder; aud We did
succeed iu pulling it upon the roof of the
shed, keeping it nearl ly perpendicular.
when We let 1t 60 over against the cave Of
the school -house, il went with an uuex.
pected jerk, that nearly threw Fred to the
ground, and did throw one foot of the lad
der ntf the edge Of the shed roof. This
frightened US little; hut we quickly ad-
justed it, and in another minute were on
the roof of tn" scho1.house.
Luckily we found the scutile in the
root nniasteued tor one of the boys had
beer up that day to put out the dag, and
had not thought it necessary to fasten the
scutte again until the flag should be ta.
ken down. A short stationary ladder led
down from this scuttle to the floor of the
alric-or rather to the place where The
floor ought to be, for there was only a
single plank laid fro the foot of this lad
der to the scuttle in the ceiling of the
school-room. Along this we crept eau
tiously, by the little light that came
in through the roof. Softly we raised the
trap-door AM leaned it back against the
brace, As we raised it, current of hot
air rushed up through the scuttlc, and
neary sufiocated US.
But this was verv small drawback
We had gained an unobstructed view of
the exhibition at last; there it was. all
beneath US, aud just in the very height Of
is glory. The grand drama, with the
military uniforms and the real sword, was
just in its first act.