The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-13


Somehow, though, something always hap
pens, when one is about to make the great
effort of his life; just as the date for the
two meetings had been determined a near
relation of Dicks mother died several hun
dred miles away, and Dick had TO escort
his mother to the funeral, and the boy
fretted for three days and nights in the
fear that he could not return in time to
accomplish his patriotic purpose.
The fates finally relented and ranged
themselves on the side of the outs, for
DICK succeeded IN reaching MS native WI
lage just at dusk on the evening of the
meetings.
The opera house. or its protector had
for several years been the butt of the
as large and we'll appointed as any place
of amusement need be in town of 5000
inhabitants. 1t was like a city theater in
roominess, and convenience, and Dick,
with a boys natural fondness for what
ever is large and unusual, had roamed
through 1t so often that he knew all Its
ways.
The lamps had not yet been lighted
when Dick crept through broken window
skipped through the aisles and opened all
the registers through which hot air from
the furnace was admitted in cold weather
To keep them from being accidentally
closed, he affixedfa large lump of chewing
gum to flap Of each. Then he hurried to
the loft, and just in time, for the janitor
Then the local brass band began to play
and Dick CRASHED his teeth in anger, for
he had hoped his own party had enough
spirit and money to secure the services of
the only band in the village. Well, things
should be better when he became man
and the leader of the Outs. The band
played patriotic airs, which Dick thought
as arrant an act of treason as that which
Benedict Arnold had attempted, a century
or more before.
Moving 10 the edge of the ventilator,
he began gently dropping the red pep
! per through the openings, a pinch at a
1 time. Some of it waited backward, so
he had to breathe through his handker-
/ chief to avoid sneezing and perhaps be-
/ traying himself. After dropping indus
/ triously for several moments ne crept
| across the beams to another ventilator,
where he dropped more of the fiery pow
| der, and afterward visited in turn the re-
/ naming two ventilators. Before he had
finished he heard a sneeze or two in the
/ audience.
! BY the time he reached his hiding place
| his plan seemed to be working superbiy,
! from his point of view, for he could hear
much coughing and sneezing below and
the speaker, whoever he was was exert
/ ing his voice to the uttern4ost, evidently
/ so that he might be heard above the din.
/ HurrahP exclaimed Dick, suddenly.
An inspiration, If ever there was one.
! When that sulphur gets fairly under way,
some fool will be sure to yell Fire and
| then"
Time was too precious to be wasted on
| farther talk. Dick slid along the great
! beam that crossed the proScenium, on
the other side of the tank, and cut a lot
OF Sits in the drop that ceiled the stage;
then he got back to the tank, put both
| hands upon the lever that opened all the
fire sprays. and waited for the signal
1t came quickly. Fire. "FirevF ''Firep'
sounded above the roaring of the speak
er, above the sneezing and barking of the
audience. Dick promptly threw his full
| weight upon the lever; he heard a gurgle.
hiss andfa swash of the water over the
/ surface of the drop, and then he heard
streams of water falling upon the stage
! beneath him.
The audience afforded a spirited snec-
| tacle; Dick was not there to behold it. hut
! he consoled himself with the thought that
he was not the first public benefactor
( who had been deprived OF the sight Of his
own triumphs. He heard about it after
/ ward from some persons who were pres
! ent.
Dick then hurried home As he prepared
4 for bed he heard loud conversat ton down
| stairs, and above it rose the voice of his
/ grandfather, who ordinarily was the mild
est hammered man in the village. Perhaps
| they had heard of the discontinue of the
/ hated ms: if so, how their faces would
CLEAN with pride when they knew that one
| of their own family had done the glorious
deed. alone and unaided.
1 Hastily getting into his clothing Dick
I went down to sitting-room, and saw to
/ his delight. that the room was full for
his father, his big brother, his grandfather
and his three uncles were all there, as was
/ also the editor of the Palladium His
| grandfather was standing in his most
| impressive attitude. with his right hand
/ uplifted, and saying:
Il viii give $50, out Of my own pocket.