The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-03-04

The door Of the schoolhouse had been
closed, even locked, against theweather.
The windows had been stuffed with
hats and bonnets. But the boisterous
norther secuted such frail defenses.
1t seized the sides of the house and
shook them. till they swayed. i Tt
screamed through cracks and whistled
through knot-holes; it; swept under the
rotten stills and sifted up through the
floor. Above, below, and on every side
it entered, cold and gusty, pressing
back the warmth of the stanch little
stove.
Miss Molly, with her feet on sheep
skin and her hands muf1ed in her coat
sleeves, sat with her back to the school,
watching the red fingers of Gistee and
Guy trace a sentence on the blackboard.
Selling the opportunity, Thad stuffed
the stove full of fat pine. The flames
took a moment to grasp the fuel, then
mounted merrily.
There was a cautious showing back of
benches and chairs. The first reader
class, Pouley, having craned his neck
to make sure that Miss Molly was not
looking, stealthily retired into the in
viting cavern under the rostrum, where
the pinching drafts of the norther and
the parching heat of the stove were in
less serious contest. There he made
seat of his book, settled his chin in his
palms, and, gazing serenely upward,
observed the phenomenon of red creep
ing up the wavering line of stovepipe.
Miss Molly's pencil dropped from her
stiffened fingers, and, STOPPING to pick
it up, she spied through a crack the
image of Pouley's placid contemplation
beneath her feet. Drawing the con-
gealed muscles of her face TO a frown,
she opened her lips to issue a sharp
summons, when out popped Pouley into
the middle of the room, pointing up
ward and shouting:
'Quick! quick! The house done
caught afire!''
The smaller children huddled toward
the door. Some of the older ones
scrambled for their books and hats.
Miss Molly stepped swiftly from the
rostrum to Pouley's desk, thence to the
floor.
Ordelia, big Hayes, Thad and Lon
stood beside her. Looking up through
the pipehole in the ceiling, they plainly
saw the danger. A length of the stove
pipe had settled, leaving an open space
between it and the next length. Swift
flames were pouring into the pipe, striv-
ing toward the druft of the brick Chin
ney above; but the wind, breathing I'M
der the caves, blew the fiery column
aside so that the hot flames licked the
roof. The curling shingles were al
ready smoking; in a moment they
would be af1ame.
With three bounds Lon was out of the
door. He seized the ak from the wood
pile, dashed back into the room, and
leaped to Miss Molly's desk.
'That's the go! Rip her down! Hi,
big Hayes, catch hold" shouted Thad,
excitedly.
With mighty spring Hayes caught
the board that Lon had pried loose, and
both swinging from it, they peeled it
down, leaving wide opening in the
ceiling overhead.
snow, then, up with you and wipe her
out!" directed Thad, even before their
feet had touched the floor.
Ordelia turned upon him. <sWipe it
out YOURSELF" she flashed.
Thad gave her one surprised look,
then swung up into the loft. ':Fling
me something to work With" he shout
Lon jerled off his coat and tossed it
up; then, snatching the bucket from
Miss Molly, he threw the stove door
wide and began to dash cautious cups
OF water upon the Kissing fire. Choking
smoke and steam poured into the room,
but the leaping flames died down quick
~, and the red-hot glow soon began to
fade from the stove and pipe.
GLOW are you coming on up there?"
coughed big Hayes, trying to peer up
through the smoke.
Cali right-I've put it out. Look
away there! I'm coming down.
Thad's cowhide shoes appeared, swing
ing out of the smoky atmosphere.
Hold on, there!" shouted Lon. But
his caution was too late. Down pumped
1had with a jar that shook the house.
The frail stovepipe ratified to the floor.
Ihad lost his balance and sprawled upon
the floor, one of his clumsy legs kicking
out two brick props from the stove.
The end Of the stove dropped with
thud; another moment it's entire fiery
contents would have been belched forth
upon Thad's PROSTATE form had not
Lon caught the stove with his bare
hands without seconds hesitation,
and raised it to level.
Ordelia darted for the scattered bricks
and drove them into place, feeling the
while that hot rim smoking into Ions
hands, and smelling the singing flesh.
When she sprang to her feet she saw
"had leap to Ions support.
''Lor! What did you do that for?"
he gasped, his lips quivering.
Lon rallied. "Didn't promise to get
even with you?" he shouted. Then he
tainted.
When he came to himself the sullen-
ness that had possessed him for the
past week was no longer in his eyes, and
he could smile, spite of the smarting