The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-02
AN INETFEcTIvE BLOCKADE.

I &
 &
 It was in the new barn that most 0
 she blockades took place.
 Tnis was game highly favored b
 the Fills children. the five Beldenl
 Estey.
 The game was entirely simpromptr
 and usually began with the girls acci
 oentaliy congregating in the uppe
 part Of the barn. One of the boy
 would slyly creep up and close the tral
 door which led to the stairs and bar
 ricade It. Then he ran, whooping me girls set to work to free them
 selves. the boys sought to prevent that
 and fine skirmish followed. NO one was ever hurt. for roughness was barred. Strategy and quickness
 were the means employed by blockaded and blockaders. The moment the pris- oners got down the steps the game was over.
 One lovely Saturday morning in spring the girls had gathered in the loft to discuss plans for the. first pic- nic of the season. Suddenly the trap door slammed and a cheer told them they were blockaded.
 Since none of them had been quick enough to prevent the closing of the door they sat still for a little while, as was the custom, to get the blockad- CTS wondering as to the means that would be employed for escape After twenty minutes or so one of the girls went to the big hay door and called a barley. Most of the boys came to the wooden runway outside the lower door. This was directly below the upper door. While four of the girls kept them in discussion two oth- CTS, unnoticed, stole to the trap door, grasped the handle. and in spite of the blockader' left to guard it succeeded in raising it a little way. Before the oth- CT boys could come to the guards as- sistance the twp girls had forced a small piece of board under one cor ner. Then came a struggle to keep the board in place. Eventually the boys conquered, pushed it away. and the l trapdoor was down again. This time it was better guarded. There were two other ways to get out of the loft--a little window, through which one might scramble. and drop to the roof, to a lower part of the barn. Thence the road led to a tree and so to the ground. Then there was a grain shoot lead ing to the cellar. A little ability would enable a blockaded one to slide down. pressing his knees to the smooth sides. Thts cost a few splin- ters, but was often used.
 The big double door through which hay was put into the loft was never considered. being much too high for jump. It was used as G means of com munication between blockaded and blockaders.
 All the well known ways of escape k-sA afn A0Ny nA once The trap was even raised again little, and they nearly escaped. But at last all six girls sat down on the hay, panting with laughter and strug- gle.
 we aren't very successful today" said the oldest girl. Grace Ellis. T | wonder what time it is?"
 One of the others called to a boy who sat grinning triumphantly on the grass a little way off, where he could
 see up into the loft.
 .what time is it?' asked the girl.
 "It's ten minutes to twelve" he
 chuekled. Aren't you going home to One of the laws of the game was | that at ten minutes after twelve. the Blockaders, if successful, withdrew and | the Blockaded came out, the disgrace | of defeat on their brows. The three
 Belden girls would be late to lunch- con. too, for they lived half a mile away. Their two brothers were among the enemy. And a Medo- Persic law of the Belden household was that of promptness at meals.
 This will never dol" cried Bertie Beden. "We must get out" She sprang up and walked around on the hay. Suddenly she caught sight of a rope which hung from a | beam They had all been using 1t the day before to take flying leaps from ] the high haymow to lower one. See here" cried Bertie, climbing like a cat to the beam and beginning to unite the rope. 'Tie this to the crossbsr of the door and l will slide down it." She was down, the rope in her hand, by this time. Go over to the trap and try to get 1t open. They will all come in to de- fend it, Hurry. while I get ready" The girls sprang to do as she said | while Bertie and Grace tied the rope | to the strong bar which crossed the middle of the door.
 Soon all the boys had rushed to the trap door ready for another struggle. The girls stood ready to rush down the stairs as soon as the door was un- barred from below.
 The rope was safely knotted and
 Bertie grasped 1t firmly with her little, strong brown hands. With shriek that brought all the boys running out again she swung out. slid down the twelve feet or more of rope, just es- caping the arms of frightened block ading cousin, who flew to catch her. She sprang past him and the others scrambled up the stairs. and before l the astonished boys could prevent It | the bar was away from the trap door | ana the girls streamed down the stairs. 1 That was a triumph. and great was the
 joy of the victorious party. But their joy was dashed when the l nluclsv rescuer was found to have sprained her ankle in landing. | And when the mothers and fathers
 heard the tale, blockading was for- | bidden game.