The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-01-13

We heard i; al over the neighborhood,
and wondered. not without some misgiv-
ings, what Wits would do.
lie did nothing. He had securely
n ,tcned mp the doors and windows be-
low, and he remained quietly within.
Blow and whoop they did, hut Willis
gave no sign that he heard them.
About midnight, however, old Mr..
Murch. Willis father. na,rly crazed by
the noise, opened window, and very
civilly asked tho party to go away and
let him get little sleep. They an
swcrcd this request with such II deafen
ing noise that ,he old gentleman was
glad tn draw in his head and shut the
window.
They did not quit, dare to break into
the house with axes: they knew Wits
courage too well. Daylight dispersed
them. But they promised loudly, ere
departing, to come back next night.
During the day, Wits called on two
of his neighbors. young men like HIM
self, and asked them Ia come over to his
place that afternoon, and stay over night
in the house.
soar friend, ot last nights hula
baloo have promised to como back, :"
said hi, land you may see some fun il
things work right.
just ut dusk, two young fellows
whose names need not he given-ac-
cepied the invitation, and went to the
house.
The kitchen there was large low
room, and the outside door opened into
il from of the piazza. Wits had Just
put two very strong staples and hasps on
this door for fastening it on the outside.
Ii was very strong oak door. On the
outside, too, he had put up two strong
plank shutters on the kitchen windows.
The other doors, leading one into the
wood.house and the other into the sit
ting-rooni. were ready for fastening on
the outside from the kitchen with bars
and hasps. In short, Wits had made
Of the kitchen a cage strong enough for
prisoncell.
During the evening. he set ont on the
kitchen table large basketful Of good
eating apples and u jug of new cider.
with glasses. A candle WAS left burning
here and in the large Canadian stove a
good fire of hardwood logs was shut up,
burning slowly. To his two young
friends. who had been taken into the
stratagcm, Willis showed an auger hole
bored in the ceiling, directly over the
stove.
The evening passed pleasantly. 1t was
cloudy and pretty dark. The serenaders
gathered about lie house very quietly.
But promptly at 10 o'clock. the noise of
the nigh, before was repeated. Gums,
horns. drums, stones on the roof, and
heavy blows against the side OF the
house.
At length some of them who were try
ing the lower windows discovered that
the kitchen door under tho piazza was
not fastened. They threw it open, and,
seeing the apples and cider. all walked
in and began to help themselves. Per-
haps they fsncied that these refresh
ments had been set out on purpose to
propitiute them.
1t was a rather chilly evening out.
The warm stove WAS very comfortable.
They shut the door and sat down.
Meantime. Willis and his two friends
had ..hcrn looking through the anger
hole and one of them now slipped
down the back stnir, into the wood
house, and. going round on the piazza,
quietly haspcd the kitchen door On the
outside.
They were not long drinking M the
cider. Then they began shouting for
Wits and Mandy.
Don't think you'll get off with a
mess of apples and cider! You haven't
seen the ia>t Of us 40 easy, Ten dollars
for drinks, Wits We must have some.
thing more on; oi you."
"U;W. said Willis. through the anger.
hole, "yoo ShoH hor, aDm'thi,.y more"
and with that he blew whole paper Of
cayenne pepper through piece Of lead
pipe down upon that hot stove!
In an instant the whole kitchen was
full OF the fiery, pnngent dust!
There came mp an cnraged shout, fol-
lowed by rush for the door. The in
trndcrs found the door hard and fast.
1t is qniic useless TO try fully to depict
what followed. The invaders scrccched,
pounded and sneczcd. Some begged
and screamed some threw themselves
flat ON the floor with their faces down,
TO get air. They could neither see nor
breathe III that fiery atmosphere.
AT last, one Of the scrcnaders, by dint
OF pounding with the butt of Il gun,
fairly stove of one of the plank shutters
from the front window, and the whole
party tnmb!cd out, nearly blinded, and
sneezing as if their heads would burst.
They were SO badly punished that they
hurried of at once, and we heard that
several of them were sick 1t week.
The story flew through the town, and
the sercnaders were jokcd and jeered at
by the people. They had to confess
themselves beaten. "Xuh.gish-oo,"
was the joke which they heard on all
sides. That was the last charivdri they
ever attempted. Youths Companion.
IT is curious fact that every Prince
nf tba rnyol bcuse .f Prussia whan