Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-08-02

their dinner-palls with bite OF luiich-
con in them?" he said to himself, when
the heat of the room had warmed MS
chilled frame.
fully along the shelf where the school
children we're in the habit of placing
their pals and dinner-baskets. A single
pail stood there, which some forgettul
pupil had left. John carried 1t INTO the
school-room. In it he found slice OF
bread and butter and IL half-eaten apple.
He ate them hungriiy, and longed for
more.
This looks like Alph Smiths dinner
pail he thought. Il know he'd pc
glad to give me what there is in 1t, II ne
knew how hungry | feel. would II ne
was in my place. -,
hearty drink from the water-bucket
near the door, and returned again to
the cheerful warmth of the school
room.
He knew why the room was warm
and the door unlocked, and was aware
thatin little while the small congrega-
ton would begin to gather. A great
longing was in his heart to see the tamll-
lar faces and hear the familiar voices,
though he was ashamed to be seen
Perhaps his mother might be there
He sprang upon the teachers desk,
grasped the sides of the trap-door open
ing, and, though he was now almost too
large to crawl through, managed the
feat, and disappeared in the loft.
Loose boards had been placed across
from beam to beam, and on one OF
these John stretched himself, wearlly,
near the opening. Even the hard board
was more comfortable bed than he had
sometimes had during his long wander
ing.
"Pll stay here till the meeting is over
and the folks have gone" he thought,
sleepily. '"Then I'll get out and travel
along"
In a few minutes he was sound
asleep.
He had slept about half an hour when
the opening of the door and the stamp
ling of feet in the entry walked him.
The meeting folks" were coming in.
From the edge of the opening where his
head rested John could look down into
the center and upon one side OF the
SchOol-room.
There was stout Mrs. Beach with her
little girl and boy, muflled up in cloaks
and shawls until they were as clumsy as
little bears. Mrs. Beach had brought
an old-fashioned japanned lamp, such
as was used for burning whale-oll. She
lighted it at the stove with shaving
brought from the Woodshed, and placed
it on one of the front desks.
Mrs. Brown, the superior woman of
the district, brought in Il camphene
lamp Of glass to illuminate the preach
er's desk. Two long tubes for ked up
ward, and were protected, when not
lighted, by metallic caps, attached to the
lamp by Il little chain. 1t gave a pretty
good light, but camphene was an ex-
plosive substance, and simple folks were
afraid of it.
Il don't think much of that sort of
lamps" remarked Mrs. Beach, who al
ways spoke out her mind. Mighty
resky thing to bringto the schoolhouse,
pears to me"
The owner of the camphene lamp
looked at her with lofty superiority, but
deigned no reply. Her lamp would
show for itself.
Grandma Graves had brought a pair
of her best candlesticks with tallow
candles. Some of the men who came
stamping into the room removed the
lamps from their lanterns and put them
upon the desks.
The room was pretty fairly illuminate
ed by the time the parsons sleigh bells
were heard in the yard. One of the
men went out to help him with his
horse.
Johns heart gave a throb as he saw
his gray-haired father walk slowly
across the floor toward one of the plat
form seats. He walked more like an
old man, and leaned more upon his
cane, than he had done year ago.
The tears came into Johns eyes, but
he brushed them away and unconscious
ly Strengthened himself as his brother
Abner came in, leading his little Jack.
Abner owned and operated the farm
next bis fathers. He and John never
could get along" together. Abner
thought that his parents were too in
dulgent to his younger brother. He
was always complaining that John was
careless and lazy.
But there was little Jack, who had al
ways been fond of his boy uncle, and
John, in boy fashion was fond of him
How the little chap had grown! He
would soon be old enough to occupy the
seat in school where John had idled
away so many thoughtless hours.
Now the preacher came in, and there
was respectful silence in the room.
Parson Warren was a tall man-so tall
that his head almost touched the length
of stove-pipe which followed the ceiling
to the chimney in the wall The gray
hair was thin on his head; glasses pro-
tected his mild, near-sighted eyes, and
he had the manner of blended dignity
and kindness which belonged to the
country parson of fifty years ago.
He had baptized John in his baby
hood, had catechised him in Sunday
school and questioned him in day school
for the minister was ALWAYS the lead