Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-25
TURNING THE TABLES
Fate of the Schoolmaster-Wh
 ping Committee.

S oeo VI oAo t0Is " 0Ap~
 ping Committee.
 "The best-laid schemes O mice and men
 Gang oft agiy."-BURNs
 Messrs. Tarbox, Tanner and Twiggs were very promising young men. between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two; very valiant, very ambitious and very strong They had never done any thing remarkable except at school, and their mighty achieve ments there did not consist ln spelling hard words in the back part of the spelling book, parsing intricate sentences, or beating their master ciphering.
 However, although the above-named gen tlemen despised such low pursuits as learn ing to read and write, their fame was great at school The truth of the matter is, they had jointly and severally, from time inn memorial, as it were, belonged to the choolmaster-whipping committee; and each of them, it is said, could boast of having conquered moro pedagogues than some of their fellow-pupils had ever seen. Every winter these three gentlemen had been in the habit of amusing themselves and their constituents by such innocent practices as taking the rod out of the teachers hand and applying it to his own back, rolling him in the snow, and of putting him under the benches while they dismissed the school.
 One winter, however, they found their match. Mir Cyrus Wilkins was a stern, powerful man, and not one to be trlded with, with impunity. Messrs. Tarbox, Tan ner and Twiggs had attempted on various occasions to create a rebellion and break down his authority, but Wilkins was firmly seated on his throne, and never hesitated to crush couspiracies with an iron hand.
 Fearing resort to open arms, and having a mortal dread of the legitimate sovereign's forces in pitched battle, the gentlemen of the schoolmaster-whipping committee re- solved to have recourse to strategy.
 The school room was i'll the second story of a new brick building which served the double purpose of a school and meeting house. The lower apartment, which was occupied on the Sabbath, was kept scrupu- lously locked on all other days to prevent unruly pupils from committing depreda- tions therein; and there was strong lock on the outer door as well as on the door of the school room. Having made these re- marks that the plot of the conspirators might be fully understood aud appreciated. now proceed in my endeavors to do some thing like justice to my narrative,
 One afternoon, as Mir. Wilkins was ar ranging his books and papers after the exercises of the day were over, no one else happening to be in the school room at the time, Tarbox, the leader of the conspira-  locking the outer door and putting the key In his pocket This courageous feat per- formed, Tarbox retired with his compan- ions to a short distance from the house, where they waited in high glee to enjoy the perplexity of their teacher when he should discover the trick and make sig. nal of distress from window.
 The three waited long and patiently, but Wilkins remained perfectly quiet. They watched the windows closely on all sides ot the house, but still they saw nothing of the schoolmaster. Q
 "Lord, boys! what's thatl" exclaimed Tanner, suddenly, pointing at bright light that glimmered through one of the upper windows of the house.
 "Fire !'' replied Tarbox, with start
 ''Fire, by thunder!" added Twiggs. , tIt is l" corroborated the first speaker, "Wilkins has set the house afro for venge. ancer'
 Tarbox, who felt that he had been the cause of the calamity, turned pale with alarm,
 ''What's to be donea" he cried 'sI darsn't go and unlock the door, for Wilkins would give me jessy, l know"
 ''There's a ladder" suggested Tanner.
 eve can put that up to the window" added Twiggs, "and you can go up and look in and see if the house Is really on fire"
 "A good idea" said Tarbox. "pn do that. Come on, boys, and help me carry the ladder"
 The ladder was soon placed against the side of the house; the summit just reached to the windows of the school room.
 Tarbox mounted, timidly, while his com. panion held the foot of the ladder. Arrived at the window, he could once more see the blazing fire within, and he threw 1t open hastily. There was but little smoke in the room, tor the blaze was occasioned by the burning of some dry hickory sticks piled carefully on the top of the stove,
 Discovering the trick, Tarbox was about to make great haste in descending to his companions, but, before he could close the window, Wilkins sprang to it and caught him by the collar. Tarbox feared hls enemy would tumble him headlong to the ground, endangerlng his life and limbs, but he mis- judged the man. Wilkins was meroiful: Wilkins was cool and cautious. Instead of pitching Tarbox from the top of the ladder where he stood, he seized him firmly and resolutely, and dragged him by main strength through the window. ..
 If you make the least resistance, MT. Tarbox," muttered the pedagogue, "pll fog you within an inch of your lifep'
 1fTarbox had any idea at first of putting Mr. Wilkins to the trouble of carrying his bloody threat into execution, he immediate ly changed his mind when he lifted up his eyes in agony, and saw the savage features of his master directly over him. He ac. cordingly surrendered himself at once, and quickly followed the pedsgogue into small
 LIES HOTEL,
 GA Bank Street,