Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-10-31
couldn't have gone home, because al,

couldn't have gone home, because Bht
was afraid to cross the stream.
II was faint, far away sounding cry
that told them, cellar or no cellar Fan
ny Windsor was under the school house
She had crept through small opening,
which, by all means, should have led
Into the cellar. It was such very
small opening that only very small
boy, who no longer lived in the village
had ever Investigated the region from
which sounded the forlorn cry. The
small boy had seen wonderful things
under the school house, lighted very
WELL he declared, by sunshine shooting
through the chinks. He had seen four
snakes and nest of spiders as big as
butterflies, and a whole lot of hats. Ben
Windsor's little sister must have been
seeing the wonders, too, for she began
to scream loudly.
cant anybody get her out?" cried
Miss Matte, wrlnging her hands,
Ben put his scared face to the opening
and called Fanny, Fanny
The screams under the house grew
louder.
wen have to tear up the school
house floor to get her" exclaimed Willie
Day, excltedly,
She'll be smothered by that time"
said Sammy Linger
Fanny, come along this way" plead
ed Ben. "Here'th brotha."
81 reckon she's caught" said George
Watts
"Mebbe n snakes got her." suggested
little girl
Then Ben screamed, 81 thee a watv
Many and many time the school chill
dren had laughed at Ben for calling q
rat a wat" but none of them laughed
now.
In all that anxious crowd only one
mortal realized that something must
be done. The little Dutch boy picked
up stick and the next instant Ben
Windsors trousers went wrlggling
through the opening
"Oh, dear" cried Miss Matte, wiring
ing her hands harder than ever, and
Miss Mattie's pet hid her face and wept
aloud. There was terrible scuilla
under the old school house. 1t seemed
to last long time; then there was a
strange quiet. Ben Windsor, pale and
trembling, had drawn back from the
opening.
"Mebbe theys both dead" said Sam
my Llnger, huskily.
At safe distance from the opening 8
boy was STOPPING, with his hands upon
his knees. "Somen's a-coming," he an
nounced in fearful whisper.
The something that first showed up
at the opening was a round, dlmpled
tear-stained face, and Ben Windsor
caught his little sister in his arms and
kissed her wildly. Following after
Fanny came SHIFTS. Watching SHIFTS
drawing himself through the hole, one
understood how very small the hole
was. The little Dutch boys fair face
was whittier than usual, almost as white
as his hair, and his blue eyes looked
quite dark as he got upon his feet and
stood bashfully, whiring by the tall
that third something, which, had 1t APP
peared first, would have caused scat
teration in the crowd. 1T skeered her
but 1t hadn't hurt her yet" he an
nounced, soberly. The third some
thing was a dead rat. Then Miss Mat
ties pet, who had unveiled her eyes
cast an eloquent glance into the teach
er's face. "Snits is hero. amt he
Miss Matte" she asked?
Miss Matte nodded her head.
"And reckon he's paid for them
pants hundred times overW cried
Willie Day, enthusiastically, and again
Miss Matte nodded her head.
Later on 1t was declared that SHIFTS
built the new school house, for IL Ben
Windsor's father hadn't seen the dead
rat with his own eyes, he might never
have roared out threatenlngly: "Thc
old rat hole shan't stand another sum-
mer; we'll get new school house, OF
we'll have noneW-Louise II. Baker, In
the New York Observer
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