The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-07-01

much lifting and struggling. II was
done, however. Then they all pulled
with a will. and a clang that aimoss
deafened them came from the bell.
Sleeping Cherryfield was aroused in .
very few minutes, and asked. in amaze
ment, what was the matter. The new
fire engine was taken out with q rush
and clamor. But where vas the fire?
People ran wildly about and nobody
seemed to know. The most mystifed
man was old Sandy Movie. who ran out
of the house in a maze of bewilderment,
and declared that the bell was be-
witched. How else could it ring with
out a tongue? And how could any hu-
man being get into the church when the
door was securely locked. and 10 win
dow broken, as anybody could see?
And still the bsll 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 10 possess II.
People on the outskirts of the town
began to think that the selectmen had
repenteS 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 a new
face upon the matter. and Sandy's sus-
p~icions reverted to the boys whose
plans he had overheard. and he volun-
tccrcd 10 break open 4 window and
lead the search.
Rosy McVie 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 rot 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 n girl, anyway"
and they were always supposed TO have
stolen the key from Sandy McNie'E
closet themselves.
When they heard the footsteps o.
their rescucr the boys ceased to ring
the bell. II 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 a
Jack-in-the-boX. Rob's father came
next, and Rob-who meant to fight in
| dians-threw his arms around his neck
and-cricd. Rob's father had suffered
some anxiety about him, but thought
he had stayed at Borrowsville with
True.
Everybody agreed hat the boys had
| been sufficiently punished by their i'm
prisonment and the loss of their Fourth
| of July fun. Even Sandy Movie said
"he guessed they wouldn't be apt to
do it again" But he may have been
somewhat softencd 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 B~ar~rwsviile cousins asked him
what kind of a Fourth be had had, he
REPLIED. carelcssly:
oh, a sky-high one"
Which was certainly truer than the
| cousins, who had their own opinion
of Cherryfeld celebrations. believed.
Tut those three boys will never ring
another church bell without leave
| Sophie SWEET. in Golden Days.