The Monticellonian., 1899-06-30

much lifting and struggling, it was done, however. Then they all pulled with a will, and clang that almos! deafened them came from the bell. Sleeping Cherrytield was aroused in a 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 mystifed man was old Sandy McVie, who ran out of the house in a maze of bewiIderment, 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 no win dow broken, as anybody could see?
 And still the bell rang wildly and clamorously, 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 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 McNie 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 10 n1ff we picions reverted to the boys whose plans he had overheard, and he volun- teercd to break open window and lead the search.
 Rosy McNie 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 te, 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 girl, anyway" and they were always supposed to have stolen the key from Sandy MeVie's | closet themselves.
 When they heard the footsteps of | their reseuers the boys ceased to ring the bell. II was easy enough to open the trapdoor from beneath. While the 1 boys were wondering anXiously wheth- CT it ever could be opened, Sandy Me Nie's head popped up out of it like q | 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 Brownsville with True.
 Every body agreed that the boys had been sufficiently punished by their i'm prisonment and the loss of their Fourth of July fun. Even Sandy McNie said
 he 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, skY.high one!"
 Which was certainly truer than the cousins, who had their own opinion of Cherryfeld celebrations, believed.
 But those three boys will never ring another church bell without leave.-- Sophie Swett, in Golden Days.