Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-04

given final rap upon the side of the
mill to shake tho remaining grains of
coffee down. and having given the last
twirl to the handle. appeared at the
door. Reckoning the school-teacher
into the kitchen, she inquired whether
he preferred sage or summer savory as
seasoning in q meat-stew.
So important a matter required de-
liberation. since a meat-stew improp-
erly seasoned possesses few attractions
to "a 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 a 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
fre-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 a chance of
escape. The fire'was nearly dead upon
the hearth, sending up only light
line of smoke through the wide CHM
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 50 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 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 rascalr'
roared the pedagogue. STOPPING over
the huge brass andirons till pair of
well-worn cowhide boots came into
sight above. ''I'l larn ye to slip of
when my back is turneCi 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 I 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
comfortable-not to speak of the prob
ability of his slipping from it into the
hands of avenging discipline below
that he made 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.
I'm bring ye down, if I have to
crawl up after ye!' he shouted.
am unable to say whether Or not
he would really have endangered the
whiteness of his broad expanse of
shirt-bosom and high linen dickey in
the soot-lined cavity now occupied by
a very black-handed boy. Certain it
was that he had moved the kettle from
the crane and pushed aside the andi-
rOns,when his eye caught sight of a 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
large pile of it to the fire. place. and
soon had a dense smoke rolling up the
chimney to the horror and amaz e.
ment of the on-looking pupils.
''Now we'll see if yen come down.
grimly shouted the master, as he threw
piece after piece of the bark upon the
writhing mass already lighted. No
boots appeared, however. The smoke
grew denser and denser, and still there
came no sound from the chimney.
Zephaniah Ezekiel had not been idle.
Finding that he could go up one step,
there was suggested the idea of con-
tinuing on to the top of the chimney,
a feat easy of accomplishment in one
of those enormous. old-fashioned stone
structures. Crawling carefully up from
one projecting stone to another, now
lifting himself with his hands and now
with his feet. his head at last emerged
into the open air at the very instant
that the master started the fire.
Swinging himself out over the top.
he slipped down upon the roof, which
was low. and sloped gradually down
over back kitchen to within six feet
of the ground. just as he slipped over