Bent County register., 1888-01-28

He did nothing. lie had securcely fast.
ened up the doors and Windows below
and he remained quietly within.
Blow and whoop they did, but Willis CAV
no sign that he heard them.
About midnight however old Mr.. Murch,
Willis father, nearly crazed by the noise,
opened window, and very civilly asked
the party to go away and let him get
little sleep. They answered this request
gentleman was glad to draw in his heal
and shut the window.
They did not quite dare to break. into
the house with axes; they knew Willis
courage too well. Daylight dispersed them.
But they promised loudly, ere departing,
to come back next night.
During the day, Willis called on two OF
his neiglibors, young men like himself, and
asked them to come over to his place that
afternoon, and stay over night in the house.
"Our friends Of last nights huilabaloo
have promised to come back" said he, Aand
you may see some fun if things work right"
Just at dusk, two young fellows-wnoee
names need not be given-accepted the in
vitation, and went to the house.
The kitchen there was large low room,
and the outside door opened into it from
off the piazza. Willis had just put two
very strong staples and hasps on this door
for fastening it on the outside. 1t was O
very strong oak door. On the outside, too,
he had put two strong plank shutters Oh
the kitchen windows. Two other doors,
leading one into the wood-house, and tho
other into the sitting-roOm, were ready for
iastening on the outside from the kitchen,
with bars and hasps. In short, Willis had
made of the kitchen cage strong enough,
for a prison cell.
During the evening, he set out on the
Kitchen table large basketful of good cat
ing apples and q 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 stratagem, Willis
showed an auger-hole bored IL the ceiling,
directly over the stove.
The evening passed pleasantly. 1t was
cloudy and pretty dark. The serenaders
gathered about the house very quietly.
But promptly at ten o'clock, the noise Of
the night before was repeated. Guns,
horns, drums, stones on the roof, and heavy
blows on the side of the house.
AT length, some of them who were try
ing the lower windows discovered that the
kitchen door under the piazza was not fast
ened. They then threw it open, and Sec
ing the apples and cider, all walked in and
began to help themselves. Perhaps they
fancied that these refreshments had been
set out on purpose to propitiate them.
1t was rather chilly evening out. The
warm stove was very comfortable. They
shut the door and sat down.
Meantime, Willis and his friends had
been looking through the auger-hole; and
one of them now slipped down the back
stairs into the woodhouse, and going round
on the piazza, quietly hasped the kitchen
door on the outside.
They were not long in drinking up the
cider. Then they began shouting for Willis
and Manda.
of apples and cider You haven't seen the
last of us so easy. Ten dollars for drinks,
Willis! We must have something more
out of your
"ReH," said Willis, through the auger
hole, you shall hare something more " and
with that, he blew whole paper Of cay-
eune pepper through piece Of lead pipe
down upon the hot stove!
In an instant, the whole kitchen was full
Of the fiery, pungent dust!
There came up an enraged shout, fol-
lowed by q rush for the door. The intrud-
.rs found the door hard and fast.
1t is quite useless to try fully to depict
what followed. The invaders scrceched,
pounded and sneezed. Some begged and
screamed; some threw themselves fiat on
the floor with their faces down, to get air.
They could neither see nor breathe in that
fiery atmosphere.
At last one of the serenadcrs, by dint Of
pounding with the butt of gun, fairly
stove Off one of the plank shutters from
the front window, and the whole party
tumbled out, nearly blinded, and sneezing
as if their heads would hurst. They were
so badly punished that they hurried off at
once, and we heard that several Of them
were sick for q week.
The story flew through the town, and
the serenaders were joked and jecred at
by the people. They had to confess them
selves beaten. 'Huhgi,h-oo .a was the joke
which they heard on all sides. That was
the last charapdri they ever attempted
Youths Companion.