The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-04-25
THEuTTLE BOY WHO SMOKED

er brothers nor sisters, he
made companions of his pets
his canary birds, his tame hare,
and his rabbits.
They knew nothing of his
poor things, nor antici-
pated the cruel fate his weak
ness of character would bring
upon them before long. twas
the coachman's pipe, lying on
the window-sill outside the
shed, thai was the beginning of
the trouble. The pipe, the
matchbox, and the tobacco
pouch. Frank saw them all,
as he walked past the window
to replace the broom in the
harness-room, from where he
had taken it, and as he saw
them, the sheer of the boys
game back upon his mind; so,
contrary to express commands
ISSUED both by his father and
motbeE, Frank, having laid the
brooffi as7dc, returnedan gath
cred them all up in his hand
pipe, matches, and pouch-and
looking aroundfora safe hiding
place, where he could indulge
in his disobedient pleasure, he
climed the ladder leading to the
loft above the shed, and set
down among the hay to try
what a real smoke Was-not a
brown paper one. "Pm not get
ting sick, not l." said Frank,
by-and-by, as a very strange
feeling crept over him, and the
clouds III the sky opposite the
barn-door seemed to be heav-
ing, and the world generally
going round, "I'm not going
to be sick, not l." but for all
that, Frank put down his pipe
hastily and walked toward the
loft window. The loft was
spinning round now, and the
yard beneath was movingabout,
Frank felt that he must get into
the house somehow; he must
get in and lie down on his bed
for his head for some reason
had begun to ache horribly, and
into the house he did evcntu-
ally make his way, though il
remained always a matter o.
wonder to himself how he es-
capped without broken bones If
his peril9us descent from the
loft window. But, as I said be-
fore, he reached the house
somehow, and lay down on his
bed, where, Notwithstanding his
boasts, he was very sick anC
very sorry. He shut his eyes
poor boy! and endcavored no
to see any thing, but to try if he
could get to sleep. He die
get to sleep at last; he had jus
fallen into a doze, he was
dreaming Of Alfred Yves
struggling in the fire to save
the woman and child, he wa
dreaming of the flames and the
smoke, and the cry of Fire
when he was awakened from
his sleep by the very cry he wa
dreaming OF "Fire! Fire! p
he thought he must be dream
ing, till he jumped from hi
bed and looked out of the win
dow, then he saw it was NJ
dream, the loft outside the yart
was all in a blaze, and tn
smoke was pouring in thicl
columns from the window c
the rabbit-house. Frank stag
gered down the stairs, with ach
ing head and guiddy step, an
', made his way. into the yard
for, with the first sight of tn
flames issuing from the bar
window the conviction had for
ced itself on Franks mind thu
> the pipe SO hastily dropped III
to the dry hay had been tn
! cause Of the fire. All the me
in the place were gathere
round the loft, in which Wa
packed the whole hay Of a seq
:. son. In vain Frank called t
). them to put down their bucket
# Of water and save his rabbit
; In their anxiety to save the
: masters property, they did NJ
C heed him. So the poor rabbi
came to an untimely end, an
: the old hare persisted in hi
d blindness, and the barn W;
d burnt down, and the preciol