The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-05-01

1aa4. pashing down The stsp.lsdder bv
which ! reaphedssthe root. . / could have
jampeA AoMnsinto the atalu. sbntI 49,
not get bacl; and Thought itaater n
lie ON the roof where / could attract
:sene body's Attention.. :.
s Ny first thought was:. .sNesrnel III
should be late to- Adnt Duegin'sY' b6i
the second was more serious: How va,
! going to arousG anybody? The only
pessohs in the house were nv fathe,
gitinga music lesson in tho back-parlof,
=! and our one maid busy with her work IN
the Kitchen. Every one.kaew was 20.
Ing QUITO tea, and 80 no one would b<
surprised at ny absence. 40 sssFss@
= There was II old chair on the root, 10,
we. sometimes went up there in warm
evenings, and sat down on it 70 thinh
the MISTER over. & ~ - ~ -
Then ! began to find that it wassvery
cool, and every little cold took: Had 4
most annoying trick OF settling in one
tooth, ulcerating and pufine upmy face
like pumpkin. I took OF my white
apron and tied it:oxerm head.
Then I went to work to rouse the
household. In the attic, nearly unde,
the trap door, was . shelf, on which
wero packed away many things. Ilaid
down, on the roof, leaned over. and
found I could reach it. First i pulled
out curtain stick, and then thought
l was safe; could surely make noise
enough with that. Igot up and pounded
on the roof, and even ON the skylieht
hoping to attract somebody; though ]
knew Biddy wouldn't come up for hours,
and my father was so absent-minded
that hadn't much hopes he would no
tice it. = -:
When I grew tired OF that amusement
I went to my storehouse again; and this
time pulled out an old fre-escape. It
was long piece Of webbing that would
reach to the ground, with piece of iron
in one end. Now +: thought I could
surely make some body see. I dragged il
to the edge of the roof at the back; flung
the end over, hoping that father. would
see it dangle before the parlor window.
This had an effect, but it was on row
Of tenement houses on the street behind
US. Women began to be interested in
my proceedings. First one woman ap-
peared at her window, hands resting on
the sill, sleeves rolled up, and frouzy
head stuck out, staring wonderingly at
me. Then another window blossomed
out with another frouzy head, and so it
went on till had - many as half q
dozen staring at me in dumb amazement
at least l suppose it was dumb, !
couldn't hear any thing. Then began
to wave my arms and beckon to them.
They only stared the harder, and now
and then one would look back in the
room and then another head or two
would appear beside her; but the idea
that was trying to communicate with
them never seemed to occur to them.
Then new thought struck me, and
began to walk back and forth and saw
my fire'escape across the house. ]
thought If father saw something moving
before the windows he must notice it,
But not a word did hear from that
Then l tried the front, though ]
dreaded exposing my plight to. the
street. I might have spared myself the
anxiety, for no one noticed me except
some little boys playing in the street.
I called, but I could not make them
hear; made motions to them, and now
and then one would see me and point
up. and two or three would stare a
minute and then return to their play. ]
couldn't make them understand that ]
wanted any thing. - ,,,''' il. -.
Up to this time had been too excited
to get cold;. but: now began to suffer.
Once more l returned to my attic, and
pulled out = piece of carpet 1t waa
dusty and not 0ver-nice for a covering,
but l could do no better. so L wrapped il
around my shivering shoulders, and
must have looked more like crazy creae
ture than before.
Time was passing. too; it was already
late; / was getting desperate. Should
have to stay here till Biddy came up t.
bed?.I pounded more vigorously than
ever. 1 shouted down the attic till ]
was hoarse, and at intervals wafked
back and forth and sawed my fire
escape, till at last flung it over, think
ing Biddy must see it then.
All this time had been rejecting;
was now much too late for Aunt Dur
gins, and my mothers manner, had i'm
pressed me with the Importance OF It
Whatever might be the consequences,
had no one to blame. but myself; thai
was the hardest to bear.
-. 1t was growing dark: began to bt
frightened. suppose should not bf
able to make them hear at all! Suppose
Ihad to stay there all night! The though
was terror. The house was in block
other doors opened from attics; people
sometimes came out, even, as l know tc
my cost, a burglar once entered through
an empty house and went dow through
several scuttle-doors- >
l began to feel real panic; the
thought of: -ainging myself over bega1
to haunt me. That may seem foolish te
you, perhaps; but try it once yourself
and II you can realize the hopelessness
of making yourself heard by any thing
YOU can do, you will not be surprised
that one gets nervous over it.
Whe got wrought up to that pitch
CHANGED to notice three little tbogs.i b.
the yard of the tenement houses, look
ing up at me: I beckoncd to them
eagerly. They were gamins; theil
street education had sharpened e:tfeil
wits; they:comprehended thatI wanted
them. AS one boy they nodded, and
started on q run around the block.
Hope entered my heart once more.
went to the front. There they were
and with -them-O. blessed relief tive
policemen. -.
They saw me, and then they and the
three boys, and sundry others who hat
collected, disappeared in our area. The1
along time passed, parleying with Biddy
l suppose, trying to make her let then
in. -. - - H. = l.
I was in agony. Ten minutes, which
seemed like m hour :nassed and then