The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-06-28

bell-because that little old sexton
Sandy McVie, is too lazy, suppose"
TDuman Bluford, generally known
among his comrades as True Blue, was
excitedly announcing this dismal news
to Rob Trip and Tenney Cole, in his
fathers store.
"There's no patriotism in Cherryfield
They've all forgotten how our fathers
fought and bled," said Rob Trip, who
liked to read nothing but stories of bat
tle, and meant to fight something when
he grew up, if it were only Indians.
at will be as still as Sunday, know.
What is the Fourth of July, without a
racket" said Tenney Cole, dejectedly.
II tell you, boys, something ought to
be done!" said True.
That was what the boys liked about
True. He was always ready to do some
thing. Older people were inclined to
think he was little too ready to dc
mischief, but the boys were generally
ready to follow where True led the way.
Eve might ring the church bell, said
True.
Thatwasn't much to do, Rob thought;
lit sounded rather tame. Still, it would
be fun to wake the stupid Cherryfield
people out of the maps which they had
mo business to be having on Fourth of
July morning, and startle the select.
men, who had decided that there should
tbe no ringing of bells.
"How could we get into the church 2"
asked Tenney Cole, who was of prac-
tical turn of mind.
Break in, of course" replied True,
coolly. "You can't expect to have all
that fun without-well, without hear
ang something about it afterward. We
could break window in the porch; and
when we once got hold of the rope,
wouldn't we make people think the bell
was bewitched! They'd blame Sandy
Movie for not being on the watch, too.
1t would be good joke on the old ras-
cal. He's got us into enough trouble by
telling of u.s."
True's father was coming from the
back part of the store, so the BOYS low
cred their voices and walked quietly
out at the door; while behind the coun.
ter, from the STOPPING posture in which
he had been measuring for himself
gallon of molasses, arose Sandy McVie.
He looked after the boys, with all the
shrewd little wrinkles in his face draw
lng themselves up into hard knots.
ga TnOd inGa Cr tho DIl ,,,.z1
be muttered. There's never any know
ing how joke may turn out, my fire
fellows! You're fixing Fourth of
July celebration for yourselves that'n
be more than you bargained for, if I'm
not mistaken"
The boys went on, all unconscious
that Sandy McVie had been listener
to the conversation that was certainly
not intended for his ears.
1T would be good thing if we could
get into the church without breaking a
window" said Tenney Cole. There's
little Rose McVie now Let's ask her
where her father keeps the KEY"
Hanging on nail in the closet, I'M
der his coat" replied the little girl, on
being questioned.
Couldn't you get il for us, Rosy. and
not let anybody know it, if we gave Won
the greatest lot of candy you ever saw,
and bunch of torpedoes for to-mor-
row?"
Rosy was very small person, with
very large appetite for candy, to saw
nothing of d strong desire to celebrate
with the proper amount of noise the
anniversary of her countrys independ
ence. Her eyes grew big and round
at the alluring prospect, and she nod
ded emphatically her willingness to un-
dertake the errand. So it was settled
chat she should bring them the key
chat night, after her father had hung
up his coat in the closet, so there would
be no danger that he would go there
again and discover the absence of the
key.
That afternoon Sandy Movie and his
son, stout lad of is. paid visit to the
church. Archie, the son, came out,
very warm and tired.
"Better have let them do it, and then
make them smart for it, than to take
all that trouble" he grumbled. "Or |
Just give their fathers a hint of what
they are up to-"
''Since they arc so fond of jokes, I'm
willing they should have bit of a one"
said the sexton, rubbing his hands,
gleGfully. "They'l catch il fast enough /
for breaking the church window" ]