The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-04-26

the world from that elevated point | col
lected a little basketful of stones, and
rejecting that it was cooler than
| thought, and ! should have to wear Q
wrap to Aunt Durgin's, went back tc
the trap-door.
don't know how it happened; | sup
pose l had not opened the spring-dooi
quite wide, and my iarring the roo
started it-but suddenly it fell with Q
bang, pushing down the step-ladder by
which | reached the roof. ] could have
| jumped down into the attic, but I could
not get back; and / thought it safer tC
lie on the roof where l could attract
somebody's attention.
My first thought vas: "Dear me! if
should be late to Aunt Durgin's!' but
the second was more serious: How was
| | going to arouse anybody? The only
persons in the house were my father
giving music lesson in the back-parlor,
and our one maid busy with her work in
the kitchen. Every one knew l was go
ing out TO tea, and so no one would be
surprised at my absence.
There was an old chair on the roof, for
we sometimes went up there in warm
| evenings, and l sat down on it to think
the matter over.
Then began to find that it was very
cool, and every little cold took had q
most annoying trick of settling in one
tooth, ulcerating, and putting up my face
| like a pumpkin. / took off my white
apron and tied it over my head.
Then / went to work to rouse the
household. In the attic, nearly under
the trap door, was shelf, on which
were packed away many things laid
down on the roof, leaned orer, and
found could reach it. First l pulled
out curtain stick, and then l thought
l was safe: 1 could surely make noise
enough with that. / got up and pounded
on the roof, and even on the skylight,
hoping to attract somebody; though l
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 | grew tired of that amusement
/ went to my storehouse again, and this
time pulled out an old fire-escape. 1t
was a long piece of webbing that would
reach to the ground, with piece of iron
in one end. Now I thought l could
surely make some body see. ! dragged it
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
u.s. 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 as many as half
dozen staring at me in dumb amazement
at least l suppose it was dumb l
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 hre-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 | tried the front, though I
dreaded exposing my plight to the
street. ] might have spared myself the
anxiety, for no one noticed me except
some little boys playing in the street
| called, but | could not make them
hear: made motions 10 them, and now
and then one would see me and point
up, and two or three would stare
minute and then return to their play. l
couldn't make hem understand that
wanted any thing.
Up to this time had been too excited
to get cold, but now l began to suffer.
Once more | returned to my attic, and
pulled out a piece of carpet. 1t was
dusty and not over-nice for a covering,
but | could DO no better, so / wrapped it
around my shiyering shoulders, and
must have looked more like crazy crea-
ture than before.
Time was passing, too; it was already
late; was getting desperate. Should
have to stay here till Biddy came up to
ever / shouted down the attic till
was hoarse, and at intervals i walked
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; that
was the hardest to bear.
1t was growing dark: ] began to be
frightened. Suppose / should not be
able to make them hear at all! Suppose
had to stay there all night. The thought
was terror. The house was in block;
other doors opened from attics; people
sometimes came out, even. as know to
my cost, burglar once entered through
an empty house and went down through
several scuttle-doors.
/ began to feel real panic; the
thought of fllnging myself over began
TO haunt me. That may seem foolish to
you, perhaps; but try it once yourself,
and if 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 boys in
the yard of the tenement houses, look
ing up at me. i beckoncd to them
eagerly. They were gamins; their