The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-04-18
BILL ARP.
The Franks Played on the First Day of
April.
atlanta Consultation.

The Franks Played on the First Day OF
April.
atlanta Constitution.
Last Monday morning the breakfast
bell rang as usual, and when we gathered
at the festive board we found the chairs
all tied to the center leg of the table 80
that we could not draw them back to take
our seats. Two mischievous chaps were
peeping at us through the crack of the
door, but We never noticed them. I
quietly stopped down and cut the strings
and we took our seats and I invoked the
time honcred blessing upon the food
but the food was not there. When the
dish covers we're removed the dishes we're
all empty aud the coffee pot gave us
nothing but hot water. The stifed gig
CLING behind the door told US that it was
an April fool, but it didn't last long, for
the empty dishes were soon replaced and
Jessie asked me if 1 hadn't better ask
another blessing. Quinine is good
medicine but it does not go we'll in a glass
Of milk. Salt is a good thing but will
not sweeten coffee; but those chaps en-.
ioyed the frolic so much we never got
mad, for there is but one All FOOLS day
in a year. Once upon time caught
mole in the garden and shut him up in
the sugar dish, aud when Mrs. Arp re-
moved the top the sweet little varment
stood up on his hind legs and laid his
red nose on the edge Of the dish, and
there was scene that the children have
not forgotten, and so as they had my
paternal example they take good many
liberties. There never was very much
dignity in my household, no how. Some.
times I try to look solemn, but the chill.
dren know that it is all put on and they
run over me as usual. Noticed that the
school bell didn't ring last Monday
morning, and that evening I asked the
professor what was the matter. He said
it didn't ring because he couldn't find
the clapper. The boys had worked right
hard in the dark to get the clapper off
and they thought there would be no
school, but he called them in and made
no sign. The professor is mighty good,
and said he was going to give holiday and
go fishing with the boys ha.: it not rained.
The dogwood has not bloorned yet, and so
1 reckon the holiday will come before
long. I like that. L like for teacher
to steal day sometimes and go out in
woods and fields with the pupils and
have good time. It looks like sin to-
pen up the children every day in this
blessed month when nature, like blush.
ing maid, is putting on her summer
clothes. April comes from a Latin word
that means to open. The earth is open.
ing for the spripging corn, the trees are
opening their leafy buds, flowers are open
ing into beauty and the birds are opening
the balmy air with music. I wish that
ne all could lay aside our trouble and
toll and go to the woods and meadows
and gather flowers and sweet shrubs and
fish in the creeks and branches and pic
mic upon the grass and be happy in COM
munion with nature. What is the use of
hurryiug through life? What is tho use
of so much cooking and cleaning up and
making fine clothes and living on q
strain.
+ knew that the boys we're up to some
mischief about that school bell, for Jessie
was singing 'The Curfew will not ring in
the morning." asked Carl about it, and
he said that they were just going to have
O. little fun like used to have when I
was boy-thst's it. The chickens
always come home to roost. When
father tells his children of his own
youthful frolics and colors them up
little and makes himself out hero, it is
like hen laying eggs. They are going
to hatch some time. 1t is like planting
seed in the ground. They will come up
after awhile and bear fruit. remember.
ed telling the children how we college
boys tied fine wire to the chapel bell
one night and put it through the lattice
of the belfry and down to the ground and
then across to the college aud up to the
:hird story window aud drew it tight so
that it was away up in the air and almost
Invisible from below aud about midnight
Tom King, whose room was close by, be-
gan to toll the bell for a fire signal, and
aroueed the town and the police, and the
fire con. pany and when they couldn't 6nd
the fire tney came to .ae chapel and
hunted all round for the scamp hut
couldn't find him. The next night il
rang out again and the police ran to the
chapel again and went aWsy up into the
belfry with lantern but couldent find
anybody, and the next night man slept
in the chapel and We boys knew it ard
didn't ring and so they watched and we
watched and the ringing was kept up Oft
aud on for week and DR.. Church, the
president got awful mad and the professors
lestured us and said the boys would GER
t4inly be expelled if found out. Most Of
u, got scared and quit, but Tom King
wouldn't quit, and Ben Mosley and Dick
Farmer were patting him on the back and
agging him on. One morning Old Mack
THAT was Professor Mckay told our
class in kindly way that he thought the
chapel bell had rung about long enough
and he would advise that it be stopped.
He said be did not know who was doing
it and did not want to know, but that he
knew very we'll how it was done.
"Young gentlemen" he said, II know
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