Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-02

in explosives and stored away there for the Fourth.
 Finally the appointed moment arr rived. Clifford, who was the Guy l Hawkes. of the conspiracy, touched 8 lighted match to the end of the rope. Then the five boys stepped back to a safe distance. Very eagerly they watched the progress of the tiny point of fire moving slowly along the rope. Closer and closer to it's destination crept the spark.
 "Its getting there, boys," said Frank Middlebury.
 Handy! won't it be great?" cried another.
 Watch it! It's nearly there!'' Cliff ford exclaimed.
 Sure enough the tiny flame had reached the boundary of the house. It was creeping inside. An instant-and all would be over. The building, and the members of parliament, supposed to be seated inside, would only be 3 memory. None of the five said word and each held his breath in expecta- tion of the terrific crash.
 "It's coming now!" shouted Frank as they heard the report of one small frecracker.
 But it didn't come as fast as they expected.
 ''It takes awful long," Clarence said In a discouraged tone.
 Yes, it did take very long time. Five minutes passed, in fact, and still no greater sound had they heard than the one small cracker.
 Whats the matter with the thing?" | said one boy.
 Maybe the rope was tangled up in- side" suggested Frank.
 'No it wasn't, either" answered an- other in disgust
 'You were here first, Cliff. Didn't l you go in and look at things to see if they were all right?'' l II looked just before started down to see the procession and didn't havs | time to look again after l came back before you got here"
 Say, boys, somebody's been med- 1 ding, think" said Frank. l "Oh, pshaw! don't. It'll go off yet" Clarence persisted.
 "Wel1, I'm going to go and look" said Cliff.
 | about approaching the "tin can" house, but Clifford, with the true Guy | Hawkes. spirit, went straight ahead and l peeped in at the opening. The others confidently expected to see his head blown off, but nothing of the kind happened, nor was 1t likely to have taken place. For what do you sup I pose Clifford saw as he looked in? We'll, it was truly enough to make his 1 blood boil. There was not sign of a l firecracker to be seen, and instead. there lay the end of the burn rope in 9 pail of water. Clifford stepped back and beckoned to the other boys. Ho was literally speeches.. When all had taken a peep at the disappointing scene, the indignant conspirators of the tgunpowder plot at once hurried over to the Gray's house. As 1t hap pened the professor was at home. 4 With loud voices and excited gestures. the boys told their story, interspersed now and then with wild conjectures as to the probable perpetrators of tho trick. The professor heard them out, and just as he was beginning to speak in serious reproof of their daring ! came in. To the surprise of everyone her arms were piled high with ire crackers. She flung them impulsively on the floor at the boys feet, and ex- claimed, in defiance: There are your hateful old firecrackers!"
 At first all present were amazed, then look of contempt overspread the boys faces such as would have been a study for a painter. The pro- lessor spoke gravely:
 "Why, Ruth, you ought not to have taken the boys crackers. If you knew that their plan was dangerous one. you should have told me about it."
 "I wouldn't be a tale-bearer." She raised her head proudly. T did it be- cause they wouldn't let me be M it.
 The professor hardly knew what to say, for the scheme of the boys had been dangerous one, and 1t was well that it had been Interrupted; yet Ruth had done a wrong thing to take the crackers as she had He explained tc the boys what serious thing they had planned what harm it might havs done, and added:
 Here are your crackers. Go, fire IuSIu III Cu0 IlLlS-uOAOlOu Wdys GILL don't let me hear of any more such en- terprises as this.'' Then he smiled "And, boys, you must learn sooner ol later that you cannot outwit Q woman be she little or big
 The boys, crestfallen at so common. place a conclusion to their daring plot filed out, the crackers in their arms The professor was left alone with Ruth to point out to her the error o1 her ways.
 Now, let me conclude with a little secret which must be kept just be- tween ourselves. Come, let me whfs. per in your ear. Since then, Professor F Gray himself has been little more careful about the kind of historical incidents which ke relates just before the Fourth of July.--Christian Work.