Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-06-28

I1ucn uItluS auu struggling IL was
done, however. Then they all pulled
with will, and clang that almost
deafened them came from the bell.
Sleeping Cherryfield was aroused in n
very few minutes, and asked, in amaze
ment, what was the matter. The new
fire engine was taken out with a rush
and clamor. But where was the fire?
People ran wildly about and nobody
semed 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
clamorously, as such sober-minded
old church bell was never known to ring
before. The spirit of half a dozen
Fourths of July seem to possess it.
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 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 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 wheth-
er it ever could be opened, Sandy Nc
Nie's head popped up out of it like
observation-disclosures. 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 Borrowsville 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 sait
.'he guessed they wouldn't be apt tc
do it again." But he may have beer
somewhat softened by the compliment
which True paid him on his skill il
hiding the bell tongue.
The boys didn't care to say mucf
about their adventure. They felt as i
the trick they had tried to play hat
been turned upon themselves. WheI
True's Borrowsville cousins asked hin
what kind of Fourth he had had, h
replied, carelessly:
"Oh, a sky-high one!"
Which was certainly truer than tn
cousins, who had their own opinion
of Cherryfield celebrations. believed.
But those three boys will never rini
another church bell without leave
Sophie SWEET, in Golden Days: