Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-05-27
should have, and grand affair it should

be.
''Never before were such great preDa-
rations made for belling as for the one
which was set for the night following
Warmers return. Old guns, rusty from
disuse, sleighbells of monstrous size and
horns and drums were made ready. while
myself and SIX others hid in the vicinity
of the house three fine oak planks and
three heavy boxes, together with a large
quantity of rosin.
THE great night came. We met, fully
fifty of us, men and boys, at my father S
barn, a few hours after the sun had set,
and in a body started out for the scene
of our coming operations. 1t seems al
most useless to tell you OF the walk
of two miles before we reached the VAR
ner home 1t was clear, crisp Noyem-
Der night. The road, hard beneath,
stretched. a well-defned white band,
across the country before us, lit as 1t was
by the light of a full moon just rising
over the eastward ridges. The wind
swept mournfully through the leat1ess
trees. rafting the limbs and stirring up
the fallen foliage below. An occasional
rabbit darted from beneath the crooked
snake fences and fitted shadOw-lille
across the road into the shelter of the
brush beyond, followed for moment by
a few shouts and stones from our party
and then allowed to escape in peace into
the woods. Indeed, it was just such a
night as this.
After a walk of some forty minutes
we trudged over the last hill, rounded the
last turn in the road and came to halt
a short distance from Warmers little
home. which lay nesting desolately in
the woods. A few dim rays of light
shone through the creyices III the closed
shutters.
Our little party silently stationed it
self around the house. Each of the
planks, the edges of which had already
been thickly coated with resin, was
seized by two young men, and gently,
after the manner of a ViOlinlst tuning
his instrument. drawn over the upturned
edges Of one of the boxes. which had
likewise been smeared with the same
adhesive substance. Backward and for
ward went the rude bows. at first max
ing Il scarcely audible murmur and then
uttering low and almost u~earthly
groans. which increased in volume as the
tiddlerS bent to their work. Such notes
as we heard during the trial convinced
us that when the crude instruments were
played with full force they would With
out doubt give forth that undeScriba bic
sound that has we'll earned them the
name "hOrSe-tiddle." The guns were
opening of the great belling, the result
of which, we believed, would be to bring
Joe and his wife to the doorway bowling,
and. perhaps, to cause them to ask us
in to a feast Of sweet cake and old cider.
The SIGNAL was given, and forthwith
arose the greatest din that has ever been
heard in our county. The ancient mus
kets banging viciously, the bells ringing,
the horns footing and above all the mel
anchOly wall of the hOrse-fiddle, made
a tumult that would shame that which
we have just heard. The result was not
as anticipated. The light inside died sud
denly out, and the house assumed a de-
serted appearance.
I'VE kept to our work brayely. \
half hour passed, and few impatient
cries of Bring out the bride arose above
the din. giving evidence that lusty lungs
were fast coming to the aid OF wearied
limbs.
Bring her out Fetch out Mrs. Var
ner, JOe,' we began to cry almost in uni
son.
AN hour passed and not a sign of life
had come from the interior of the lone
~ dwelling. The noise weakened III vol
ume, the owners of the guns grew chary
Of wasting their powder, and at last,
much to our chagrin, we were compelled
to retire to the woods to hold a consulta-
ton
"A thin stream of smoke poured stead
lily from the mouth of the great stone
chimney, and the sight of it suggested
the execution of a plan resorted to only
on the most desperate OccasiOns-that of
smoking out the occupants of the house.
1T was the work of but a few mo-
mentS TO obtain Il heavy board Suita BILE
to the purpose, and for one of the young
men to climb upon the roof, taking it
with him. He made his way nOiSeleSSly
up to the peak, laid his burden across the
top Of the chimney, and then crouched
low to await the denOuement The
smoke ceased to escape.
Half an hour passed, and not a sound
had been heard from inside the house.
Another long lapse of time, and anxious
looks appeared on the faces of the sere
naders.
Surely, we argued, if anyone was
within they would have beer. driven out,
or at least some noise would have been
made in their efforts 10 quench the
flames.
Then the young man on the roof
nOiselessly removed the cover from the
chimney. A dense volume of smoke
poured slowly upward, showing that the
fire had done we'll the work required.
From beneath the doOrways we sDied a
few faint WreatheS come circlng vague
ly out
"A chill of dread passed over us. We
wondered II any mishap could have oc-
CURED. People are not usually. when
wide awake, to be suffocated in their
own homes. But the question as to
whether they were at home arose Some
or US thought not. But the light that
we had seen burning on our first APP
preach seemed to augur something.
Someone was at home and something had
happened within, we decided
In another instant four stalwart fell
lows, holding between them heavy log,
approached the door
One blOW-lt gave way; not sound
was heard inside. Another Grassland
the heavy oak fell backward from its
hinges. The smoke, released from its
prison, poured out so densely as TO al
most drive the excited bellers from the
doorway
Zone young man dashed boldly across
the room, which passed as living room
and kitchen, and in another instant the
window was up the shutters thrown
open and the wind whistled through.
driving before it the heavy veil of smoke
that hid the interior from our view: and
the moonlight streamed in. Then what
a sight met our eyes!
There, sitting in a great wooden rock
ing chair, his feet resting almost ia the
fire, his head fallen upon his breast. his
stern, hard features calmly set as if in
sleep, sat he whom we had come to bell.
dead.