The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-08

nm the wide black throat. When he
asked q grown-up, he was told that
they went out. But he knew that be-
fore: for he could see them go, just
as plainly as he could see the exit OF
the schoolmaster or the parson or
any of the neighbors. But no matter
how swiftly he ran out through the
long hall, when the flames were roar
ing highest, he never saw them come
out of the chimney and go sailing on
over the elms. There was nothing
but gray smoke that floated away
and vanished among the tree tops.
But one April morning q thought
came to him.
His mother had said she was sure
William would not need fire in his
room again before autumn and she
called Jonathan, the man OF all work,
to take the little. wide, square stove
up attic. Then over the funnel-hole
she hung a gay little picture OF q
very rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed boy,
swinging his very rosy-cheeked, black
eyed little sister.
William was standing by the win
dow, watching some papers whirling
about in the corner OF the yard. Pres
emily the wind took them right up
over the high fence, and away they
whisked out of sight. 1t was then that
the thought came to William. 1t was
something like this: If the wind
could lift things over the fence SO
easily, why could not the flames,
which sailed upward so lightly and
easily, carry things right up the chin
ney? OF course they could. And
then he would see where they went,
even If they did have such a queer
trick of being invisible as soon as
ever they got out of doors. So ne
sped across the room (for he was a
boy who always wanted to do things
as soon as he thought Of them); and
down the chimney went big rubber
ball and a little rubber ball and half
little overshoes, and number of other
things which he thought he would not
miss too much. And then he could
hardly wait for the fire to be built in
the dining room fireplace. But IL
wasn't built. The weather grew
warmer and warmer; and then one
day a number of men came, and
brought great, queer-looking, round
thing, like an enormous dinner pail
and they put great shining tubes al
| oh Tho And thnn If w
furnace-heated house; and the lit
tie wide, square stove stayed up II
the attic, and screen with funny
pictures was put across the fireplace
And then, as there were no more
flames to go out, William forgot tt
wonder where they went.
BY and by he was a man, and hat
a little William of his own to follow
him about and ask all sorts of quee
questions. Then that little William
grew up, too; and he had little viii
liam, who wondered at things jus
as much as the first one, whom h
called grandpa, and who had a can
and a long white beard. And a
Grandpa William walked more an
more slowly he began to think abou
place; and he felt sure that it woul
be great deal warmer and bette
for his rheumatism than those squar
holes in the floor. So Papa WilliaI
got some kindling and some big stick
of maple and tried to build a fire
|, But the smoke all came out into tn
|, room. Then he said the draught wa
wrong, and he got big hammer an
pounded away at the sheet of iro
away up in the roof of the mouth {
the old fireplace. 1t was very stul
born, but suddenly it gave way-an
down came, amid binding cloud {
SCOT, a big rubber pail and a littl
rubber bail and half train of cal
and pair of worn little overshoe
and a number of other things whic
made Little Boy Williams heart lea
with joy, although he had whol
wide, square room full of plaything
And then Grandpa William remen
bered who put them there, and VIII
and told all about it, with queer Ii
tie quaver in his voice, while b
watched the bright flames dance U
the chimney. And Little Boy Willial
, listened, with wide, grave eyes, h
: elbows on his knees and his chin
his moist, sticky palms.
Then he slipped quietly out, ar
soon they saw him perched on a gat
D post, gazing earnestly upward. Gran
d pa William tapped on the windo,
What it is, William" he called.
, 'Lookin' to see fwere the fwames {
to-" was the reply.
Grandpa smiled, and brushed b
coat sleeve across his eyes when l
; thought no one was looking.
They are real Rip Van Wink
!. toys" said Little Boy William
+ mother, as she brushed the dust fro
3 them gently.
: "Fwat's vat?" piped up the scie
+ tiic investigator, who had come in
get thicker jacket.
And mamma explained. But Gran
: pa William never told him where Il
;, flames go to.-The Christian Regi
u ter.