Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-06-30

much lifting and struggling, it was
done, however. Then they all pulled
with a will. and a clang that almost
deafened them came from the bell.
Sleeping Cherryfeld was aroused in n
very few minutes, and asked, in amaze
ment, what was the matter. The new
fire engine was taken out with rush
and clamor. But where was the fire?
People ran wildly about and nobody
seemed to know. The most mystified
man was old Sandy Movie, who ran out
of the house in maze of bewilderment.
and declared that the bell was be-
witched. How else could it ring with
out tongue? And how could any hu-
man being get into the church when the
door was securely locked, and no win
dow broken, as anybody could see?
And still the bell rang wildly and
DANGEROUSLY, as such a sober-minded
old church bell was never known to ring
before. The spirit of half a dozen
Fourths Of July seem to possess il.
People on the outskirts of the town
began to think that the selectmen had
| repented of not celebrating the Fourth,
and were making amends by celebrat
ing the 5th, and they came hurriedly
| driving into the village to see what
was the matter.
At length somebody more courageous
| than Sandy Movie insisted upon going
into the church to investigate, and
| Sandy went to get the key. The dis
| covery that it was gone put new
| face upon the matter, and Sandy's sus-
| picions reverted to the boys whose
| plans he had overheard, and he volun-
| teered to break open window and
| lead the search.
Rosy Movie at that time was pulling
| the bedclothes over her head, and Won
| dering what would become of her, and
resolving never again to touch a key
or anything else that she had no right
| to, for all the candy in the world.
| Candy was good, but, oh, how bad was
| the terror she was suffering now. And
| Rosy is not likely to forget her resolve,
| although she was never found out. The
| boys agreed that they would never be
| SO mean as to tell on a girl, anyway"
and they were always supposed to have
stolen the key from Sandy Movies
| closet themselves.
| When they heard the footsteps of
| their rescuers the boys ceased to ring
| the bell. 1t was easy enough to open
| the trapdoor from beneath. While the
| boys were wondering anXiously whe1h-
er it ever could be opened, Sandy Nc
Nie's head popped up out of it like
| Jack-in-the-boX. Rob's father came
| next, and Rob-who meant to fight In
| dians-threw his arms around his neck
| and-cried. Rob's father had suffered
some anxiety about him, but thought
| he had stayed at Borrowsvilfe with
| True.
| Everybody agreed that the boys had
been sufficiently punished by their i'm
prisonment and the loss of their Fourth
| of July fun. Even Sandy Movie said
The guessed they wouldn't be apt to
do it again" But he may have been
somewhat softened by the compliments
which True paid him on his skill in
hiding the bell tongue.
The boys didn't care to say much
about their adventure. They felt as if
| the trick they had tried to play had
| been turned upon themselves. When
| True's Brownsville cousins asked him
| what kind of Fourth he had had, he
replied, carelessly:
"Oh, a sky-high one!"
Which was certainly truer than the
| cousins, who had their own opinion
| of Cherryfield celebrations, believed.
But those three boys will never ring
| another church bell without leave
| Sophie SWEET, in Golden Days.
L