Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-07-11
"A STILL ALARM"
A Brave Little Girls Presence of Mind
True Story.

Brave Little Girls Presence of Mind
True Story.
Bertha's dull pencil left awkward fig
ares in it's track across the slate. This
would not do, for Miss Elvo insisted
upon neatness as we'll as accuracy in
the work of her pupils. Bertha. there
FORE with a distressed little pucker be-
tween her dark eyebrows, raised her
hand.
WELL" said Miss Elvo, looking at
her.
my pencil is very dull-may go
out and sharpen it?" she SAID.
1t was the custom within this great.
brick school building, known as mo.
d." to have the pencils put in perfect
working condition before school was
called in the morning. Then they were
passed around in a neat box, and each
pupil took out her own In some mys-
terious way Bertha's pencil had es-
capped the sharpening process. and it's
hard-worked point Of the previous day
was unfit for use. Miss Elvo looked
in the box for an unclaimed pencil. bat
a rare occurrence-the box was empty.
She therefore granted somewhat I'M
willing consent to Berthas petition.
Bertha tip-toed across the floor, shut
the poor softly and went through the
long hall to the back door and into the
chill winter air. Standing in shell
tered corner on the back porch. she be-
gan to sharpen her pencil While
working away busily she took her eyes
q moment from her task and immedi-
ately discovered thin curl of smoke
issuing from one of the basement win
dows. It could mean but one thing
the bui ding was on fire! Her decision
was Immediately taken. Only the
night before she had heard her father
explain to her brother how to give a
still alarm" How glad she was that
she had listened attentively to his in
structions. for it was now, above all
things, necessary to have the fire COM
pany arrive quietly without alarming
the pupils. There was a telephone in
the store on the corner, and in less
than five minutes the message had
reached the chief of the fire depart
ment, and Bertha was speeding on her
way back to the school building. She
paused few moments in the hall. near
the door of the room where she be-
longed. to quiet her rapid breathing
and calm her frightened face. When
she entered her room, instead of going
to her seat, she went straight to the
teachers desk. Miss Elvo admired
and loved her; she was one of those de-
lightful children who are always heart
There was nothing unusual in her ap-
pearance now save a CLINT in her dark
eyes and a small red spot on either
cheek. From these signs Miss Elvo,
who was keen observer. allowed her
to step upon the rostrum unchecked.
She turned her back upon the school
and said in a low, but distinct, whis-
per:
Miss Elvo. there is a fire in the
basement; l have been to the corner
and sent in q still alarm"
Miss Elvo's cheek paled a little, but
she took a pencil Immediately and
wrote on a scrap of paper:
DISMISS your pupls lUletiy, Dut as Speeuliy
as possible MISS ELvO.
She handed this to Bertha, saying in
a low voice:
You are brave girl. Show this
paper to each teacher in the building
as quietly and promptly as you have
done the rest, and all, trust, will be
we'll"
She then turned to the desk and gave
the signal for closing work. The
pupils, who were porting over their
problems in fractions, were surprised.
but were too well drilled to give other
than prompt obedience. The imple-
ments of work were put by, the pupils
rose, filed out, and in five minutes the
building was empty, Miss Elvo. her.
self, as principal. moving softly about
ol