Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-07-10

The old mans eyes were flashing be-
hind their huge casing of glass, while
his hand clasped firmly the long hard
wood ruler which could boast an init
mate acquaintance with every boy in
the room.
10 what extent the Walls of his wrath
would have been poured out upon the
present victim, had not good-fortune.
in the person of Aunt Sally, appeared
at the door, I am not able to state.
But certain it was that while poor
Zephaniah Ezekiel stood in jacketless
detection beneath the appraised hickory,
the mistress of the kitchen, having
given final rap upon the side of the
mill to shake the remaining grains of
coffee down, and having given the last
twirl to the handle, appeared 1T the
door. Reckoning the school-teacher
into the kitchen, she inquired whether
he preferred sage or summer savory as
seasoning in Il meat-stew.
SO Important q matter required de-
liberation, since meat-stew inprop-
erly seasoned possesses few attractions
to cultivated palate. A considera-
BILE period was thus afforded the small
culprit on the other side of the door
in which to do some hard thinking.
Had there been an outside door at
hand, or an open window, this story
would never have been written. That
outside door or open window would
have introduced Zephaniah to long
stretch of open country outside, ere
the squeak of the masters retiring foot
steps had died away; but no such ave-
nue. of escape offered itself.
The Woodbridge house, like many
other early dwellings in the State OF
Maine, WAS built with huge stone
chimneys, and broad hearths formed
OF single slabs of stone. These open
hre-places had enormous iron cranes
suspended from one side, from which
kettles could be hung over the fire.
Such a fireplace, near the masters
table, caught Zephaniah's eye as he
gazed wildly about for chance of
escape. The fire was nearly dead upon
the hearth, sending up only light
line Of smoke through the wide Chin
ney. The disturber of arithmetical
calculations was seized with a sudden
idea, which he promptly put into prac-
tice. He had just safely climbed upon
the huge crane, and so disappeared
from sight, when the teacher, having
at length decided that, on the whole,
summer savory was best calculated to
add spice and character to a meat stew,
returned to the school-room to get up
an appetite for the coming repast by
muscular exercise upon the back of
Zephaniah Ezekiel.
No individual of this name, however,
fell under the gaze of the goggles, as
they were turned from one corner of
the room to the other. Their unavail-
ing search might have been prolonged
for a considerable period, had not the
eyes of some half-dozen small boys
been riveted earnestly upon the spot
where, shortly before, youthful pair
of legs had disappeared.
Quick detection followed.
Come down, you young rascal!'
roared the pedagogue, STOPPING over
the huge brass andirons till pair of
well-worn cowhide boots came into
sight above. "l'll larn We to slip off
| when my back is turned! Come down,
I tell ye!''
Accompanying this cordial invita-
ton to descend were sundry vigorous
raps with the tongs upon the boots
before mentioned These attentions
caused the occupant of the chimney to
squirm and dance up and down upon
the crane, upon which his footing was
not too secure.
The chimney, as / have said, was
built Of stone. The inside. of course,
had many pockets and projections,
formed by the unequal thickness of the
stones. Zephaniah's position on the
crane was becoming so extremely un.
commandments to speak Of the prob.
ability of his slipping from it into the
hands of avenging discipline below
that he made d further effort for es.
cape. He cautiously grasped a pro-
| jecting rock, and drew himself up till
he found secure footing.
This new move increased the fury
of the master to a white heat
| cpl bring We down, if / have to
crawl up after ye?' he shouted.
l am unable to say whether or not
he would really have endangered the
whiteness Of his broad expanse OF
shirt-bosom and high linen dic1xey in
the soot-lined cavity now occupied by
a very black-handed boy Certain il
was that he had moved the kettle from
the crane and pushed aside the andi-
rons, when his eye caught sight of pile
of birch bark, which was stored in a
box at one side of the chimney, and
used for kindling fires. To such use
the Infatuated trainer of young ideas
now proceeded to put it.
| With nervous haste he transferred a
large pile of it to the fire. place, and
soon had dense SIN oke rolling up the
chimney, to the horror and amaz .
ment of the on-looking pupils.
''NOw we'll see if veil come d0wnr'