The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-11-24
BEHIND THE BIG CHIMNEY.


baked the day before in the big stone
oven.
There's mince, afple. and pump
En!' said Lou, in voice full of relish.
"And two little turnovers!' l ex-
claimed. quite sure in my own mind
who would eat them.
Then we came back in time to watch
grandmother as she turned the turkey
before the fire. The fireplace was built
of great stone, and was so deep and
broad that many time l had sat in
one corner of it on little stool, watch
ing the logs burn and crumble into
Goals. But this day the fire was too big
and hot, and the long crane held three
or four iron pots, all bubbling and
steaming, ready to cook the vegetables
for dinner. There was large tin
''baker" before the fire, and in that lay
the turkey in q pan, slowly browning,
and smelling so good, we little girls
thought.
Father and mother had gone to meet
ing to hear the Thanksgiving sermon,
and Aunt Ann was busy setting the ia
BILE in the 'keeping.room." Lou and 1
stood by the fire till our cheeks grew
too red and hot to bear it any longer,
and then we ran off to play There
was a tall chest of drawers in the keep
ing-room, and in it was one little square
drawer which had lost its brass handle.
This had q fascination for us because it
was hard to open, and because it held
odds and ends. After several trials we
got it open. and rummaged among the
buttons and spools and things, till we
came across wooden ball, carved with
q jack-knife and inside it second ball
party done.
ooh, how pretty!'' 1 cried. "May 1
have it Aunt Amp"
She looked at the ball and shook her
head.
..Put it back, Maidie," she said.
"Your grand ma thinks all the world of
that. Giles began it before he went to
sea-"
Icould remember my Uncle Giles,
tall, strong boy of seventeen when he
went to sea. That was more than two
years before, and they had not heard
from him for u year. | knew grand
mother felt anxious about him, and that
tears came into her eyes when he was
mentioned, but l was thoughtless
child, and had not taken it to heart N.Y.
self.
"When he comes home he can make
another" said.
'Td put it right back, Maidie," said
Aunt Ann, rs she turned away to get
out the best spoons.
But thought l would play with it n
little while first, and l kept it in my
hand when we shut the drawer.
Then Lou and l went up garnet to
find the kittens. There they were, lit
tie heaps of fur, asleep in the dusty sun
shine. We reused them up for frolic,
and made them beg and hold out their
paws. Then we wanted something they
could roll about, and put the little
only meaning to leave it there minute
till Lou got spool out of her pocket.
But the kittens were so full of play.
they sprang at it as quick as flash,
and rolled it along the floor towards the
board partition. / ran after them, and
caught them both, but could not find
the ball.
Its gone through that hole in the
boards" said Lou, when we had search
ed behind boxes and barrels in vain.
Lets 60 around and get it," re-
piled.
The board partition separated the
east garnet from the great dark space
which was nearly all occupied by the
chimney, built Of huge rough stones,
whose foundation rested on the solid
earth, far below, but which, though
lessening in size towards the top, was
still SO large there by the garnet stairs
that it seemed like q stone tower. On
either side, between the chimney and
the garnet partitions, was dark, mar
row, cavernous space, where the pro-
jecting stones made foothold, and
where broken chairs had been slowed
away, making sort of barricade. The
darkness was almost blackness as we
looked in from the top of the stairs.
"Your Aunt Ann will scold if you
lose that ball." said Lou Hampstead.
"You don't know. She isn't your
aunt; you're only third cousinr' 1 re-
piled, on the defensive, but secretly I'M
easy.
peercd into the dark opening until |
my eyes became used to the gloom, and |
I could see, past the broken chairs, two
or three pieces of board posting on the
stones, and at the very farthest part al
most was something that might DO the
ball.
II see it! I'm going in after itr' ex-
Don't you do i'll You'll get killedr'
said Lou.
But pushed in by the chairs and
reached the first board safely. There
stood, leaning against the chimney, till
could see better, and then 1 peered
along on the next board. Yes, that
surely was the wooden carved ball al
most at the end, half under cobweb.
l took step or two farther, and set
my foot on the second board. Then /
looked on and down into what seemed
an abyss Of blackness, but far below
was little CLEAN of light. For an in
slant stood wondering what it could
be, and then / took another step. reach
ing my hand to grasp the ball.
The board tilted under my foot.
felt myself slipping into the horror of
darkness! heard Lou scream, and /