Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-03
The ElRE-ALARM.
How the Kitchen-Clock Happened to &c
CLEANED.

| How the Kitchen-Clock Happened to Gel
| Cleaned.
Up in grandma's attic, one bright
sunny day, Lulu and Hetty were play
ing with their dolls.
1t was such a charming place to play
with no end of old spinning
that the girls called their harps, and
big loom that they called their pipe
organ, and chests full of funny ole
dresses, that grandma allowed them tc
dress up in to their hearts content and
bandboXes with the queerest old bon
| nets.
Each kept house in one end of the
attic, and then visited each other back
and forth, and they always felt sure
| that before tea-time Mittie, grandma S
help, would come toiling up the steep
stairs with tray full of goodies for a
tea-party.
Lulu was sitting in an old, old rock
ing chair, singing to sleep her youngest
doll, BonnibeI, for Bonnibel had scarlet
fever. with touch OF whooping-cough,
and was very ''worrisome.
| As Lulu rocked far back in the old
chair. softly singing daisy Dale she
CHANGED to glance up among the brown
rafters, and ner eye caught sight OF a
thin place in single, where the sun
shone through, making spot as red as
blood.
"Hetty Warren she said slowly and
with emphasis, ''this house is a-fire!'
| "Wherep where?" cried Hetty, rush
| ing along from her end of the attic,
leaving trail of dolls dresses and
clothing generally in her wake.
up there!' gasped Lulu, pointing
with one trembling finger at the red
| spot.
Hetty looked up and saw; then turn
| ing, she fled down stairs as swift as a
bird, while Lulu came, painting and
| breathless, after her.
Into the .sitting-room burst Hetty,
| surprising grandma as she sat there
sewing with the little girls two moth
| ers, by the startling announcement:
''The house is atire! the house is
atire!!"
where? Where is it?'' they all
| cried at once, jumping up.
Cup in the roof!'' said Hetty, and
Lulu, painting in just then, added her
testimony: s:The house is all ahre up in
roof; all red coals!" and Mittie came
rushing in from the kitchen to hear
| what the tumult was about.
Run out into the street and holler
'Fire!' Mittie," said grandma.
'7Tell somebody to ring the fire-bell,
Hetty," said her mother, Selling pail
of water and hurrying upstairs.
Lulu's mother was one of the kind
who faint easily, so she dropped into a
chair and groaned, and famed herself
with newspaper. looking all the while
as white as a ghost, and Lulu chung
tight to her apron.
Grandma took China cup down off
the bracket, and, rushing out into the
backyard, set it down under big ap-
ple-tree, then hurrying in, went to TAX
ing down the kitchen clock.
Mittie ran into the middle of the
street and stood there trying to scream
s.Fireu' but though Sic opened her
mouth wide, the Fire" only came in
loud, hoarse whisper.
Hctty went tearing along the side
walk, looking for some one to ring the
tire-bell The first man she met was
old Judge Brown.
20 MIR. Brown!" gasped Hetty,
won't you go and ring the fire-bell?"
''What's a-fre?" asked the Judge.
"Grandma's house is Attire, and
grandmas away, and don't know
what we shall do!'
Judge Brown stared hard at the house
with no traces of smoke about it, and
looked puzzled.
''Where is it a-fire?'
up in the roof-it's all live Goals
red as blood"
'I'll run along where [ can see the
other,-side of the roof" said Judge
Brown, and along he ran as fast as his
age and flesh would allow, with Hetty
still ahead. He ran clear around the
house, watching the root, but no sign
or smell of fire could be discovered
''Must be inside" he said and went
in at the front door, and there was Het-
tvs mother coming downstairs laugh
ing, with the pail of water in her hand
She explained to the Judge how the lit
tie girls at play in the attic had seen a
red spot in the roof, and thought it was
fire.
Come in. Mittie!'' she called to the
girl, who was now leaning against the
fence, all in tremble. There's no
fire, after all"
WELL" said grandma, when they
brought the good news into the kitchen.
1--WE got this clock about taken
down, so I'll finish the job, and send it
off to be cleaned. 1t hasn't run for a
year,
And that was how the kitchen-clock
happened to get cleaned Youths Com