River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-08-29

tDey stole along uuuSf cover OF lne ubFH-
ness after old Joe who was laundering
mp the stairs, making so much Tacke
himself that he could not hear anything
else.
"oh, mercym whispered Sarah, ~ ran
my head into a horrid cobweb and it's all
in my eyes"
ISL. shr and on they sped lightly.
"Frasie Newcomb, you shan't scream,
so therel" 4 big mouse, unaccustomed
to such intern ptions, had tfounced across
the floor right across the childcen's feet
Clang -ciangi clingity -clsngl How
queer the old bell sounded up there.
Joe they could see above them as his
figure swayed back and forth. and they
wondered how he could possibly get up
there upon the rickety little ladder
Wasn't il delightful, though, up in this
dim forbidden spot all shadowy hooks
and mysterious recesses-lighted weirdly
by the lurid glare from the frework stand
GU side How queer all the people look
ed moving down on the green.
There's Miss Priscilla Baseom," an
nounced Tidy with soft giggle. "Ain't
she funny2 Ny look at her nose it's a
yard Iongm
"Yesi but 0, see what they're doing
there!" whispered Sarah exeitedly.
"Wherel wherel" said Frasie, trying
to see.
20, Frasie yoG push bad as the folks
on the Green grunbled Sarah, not
moving in the least to accommodate.
Just then most dismal noise sounded
close which made them all jump and
stare in each others faces in fright.
"Oh, what was thatgn whispered Lucia,
grasping Thusies arm.
Sarah's black eyes began to pr0trude a
little, but she said nothing.
Hushl Another awful noise that
seemed to the frightened girls like thun-
der; something ran and pounced into a
dark corner Trey didn't wait to see
what il was; they sped and tumbled over
each other to get TO the landing below.
Thusle's lovely blue sash was grasped by
Sarah's sticky fingers, which had been
Qreedily and slyly diminishing the pock~
etful of candy in the darkness above.
"Welln gasped Sarah, when at last
they reached the foot of the stairs, 81
don't see what there is 20 be frightened
an
"Wbat-did you-come for them"
clicked Thusie, who had scrambled so
she could hardly breathe, let alone talk.
Why. ] didn't till you all started. =
mapped Sarah "But never mind, here s
a spl ndid place to sect and she
ensconc,d herself at once in the best cor
nor of the big, square front window. 1t
was very dirty, being covered with dust
and CRIME, not exactly the place that
/ careful mothers would have selected for
/ the holiday dresses of their children.
The grand show of the evening now
beg8n The girls held their breath as
I they watched entranced in the dirty old
+ window, cfouching together very uncom-
/ toItably, trying hard to think they were
/ having nice time. And o il was so
/ warm and sitting.
Il hewl How close it is! Do open the
window, Sarah! = gasped little Frasie al
last.
Bur ii wouldn't open.
II wish we had stsid out on the green,
walled Tidy.
suddenly Sarah Soroamed
why, as sure as you're alive, they're
4 going round to the side OF the church,
/ girls, with that splendid wheel Of liberty
1 0, hurry, hurry, hurry" and she began
to scramble down and pick her way over
the rickety landing to the beltry stairs.
''Wait!" called out Frasie; but Sarah
sped On. They could scarcely see her
| ahead They had all they could DO to
! follow her, and Thusie, being last ana
4 catching her dress on a rusty nail by the
unluckY hole she had acquired in the
early part of the day, had to step out
right and release it, and so was entirely
separated frnm the others. Her mates,
| supposlng her close behind, reached the
\ front outer door ana were soon scattered
! in varioue directions among thei1' friends,
and lost in the delightful enioyme, is.
Thusie turned, after going down the
stairs, the wrong way. Near the foot
| there was closet-a little old musly
1 place tor odds and euds-a place that
1 very few knew existed. The doorof this
closet stupid Joe had left open when he
went for pole that was wanted and
/ Thusie, in her bewilderment stumbling
along the narrow passage way, turned
| into this door and fell headlong over an
| old worm-e eaten stool standing in the
middle of the floor. She struck her fore
head with great violence on the floor be
yond, and knew no more.
And now the show was over. Every
body was getting ready for home. Old
Joe was locking the church.
Couldn't any friendly hand rouse little
Thusiel Aunt Fanny, safe at 6 Brother
John s." supposed her with Der mother
on the green. This was why ThusIe
wasn't missed by anyone. Couldn't some
thing have whispered 10 the loving
mother as she sat there in her low rock
ing -chair--kept at home her,elf from
Uncle Johns by sick little baby Oracle,
grooming soft melodies into the tretful
little ears of the danger aud lonliness
that threatened her little Thusie!
The old church door shut with bang
This it was probably, that fairly reused
Thusie from the swoon out of which size
was slowly coming.
In those first dreadful moments 1husie
never knew what she did. She CROPPED
her way out ut last to the main passage.
There was a window up tc which she
managed to climb and press her fright
ened little face piteously to the pane.
From time TO time, as she had CROPPED
her way along. she had called and shout
ed and then paused to listen. She soon
began to realize this was Of no use.
"Oh, dearl" | don't believe ever
could have hated Uncle Johns" she
sobbed, ats just the loveliest placel'
And then the bitter tears dropped down
and rolled all over the soiled little cock
ade that had been so gay and patriotic
in the early morning. Thusie was a
child ofgreat common sense. She knew
nothing could actually harm hr in the
old church, and darkness had never tor
her any of those keen terrors that invest
it with such horrible dread for other
children; but remorse reproached her
so1e.y.
She said over all her prayers, even
those OF her babyhood. And then she
watched and waited 1t seemed to her
hours. but, in reality, it was only late
bedtime through the village; and lights,
one after another, went out, and all were
peacefully setting for the night.
What was that. Surely nothing but a
mouse nibbling at the old wood work
Again. That was no mouse! Thusie
would have said she smelt something
burning, only she must have been dream
ing. She pinched herself to keep awake
But no there certainly was a little flame
of fire shooting up its determined tongue
right there on the very roof of the porch
Locked up in an old church, with the fire
that had somehow caught from the fire.
works and been smouldering, until now
u "a