The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-10-25
WHO DID IT7


to be cheerful.
"The days before the 18th went like
a fash, l fell you. When the time
come 1 didn't know any better way
than to git into the suller with some
kindlin's and kerosene. l knew how,
for l had examined.
1.-The wind begun to rise when the
sun set. That was good for me. l was
in high spirits at supper wondered
why mother KEEP looking at me so. She
said my eyes didn't pear jest right to
her. laughed to myself when l went
upstairs to bed that night, at o'clock.
How the wind whistled about N
how the pine trees lashed themselves!
1 thought I'd have nap fore -. l
had put the kindlin's N the oil all
ready in the woodhouse 'g'inst need
ed 'em.
with such plan in my head, would
you thought could slept? didn't, at
first. lay in my bed with the clo'es
drawn up over my ears, thinkin', think
in. I don't know how twas, but my
plan seemed to satisfy me. l KEEP
thinkin' how Tom Merle looked when
1 seen him last. l wondered if he'd
| be burned to death, hen his wife.
What if he shd die. m I should save
his wife? But l didn't reckon on that
The wind KEEP right on, shriekin' like
thousand wild beasts. My bed kinder
| rocked, n it rocked me to sleep. Any
way l went to sleep thinkin' jest how
I'd creep out, SOS not to rouse mother.
"You see, was dead tired. I'd
worked like tiger for the last two or
three days, m hadn't slep' any. Well,
I didn't wake up till there was strip
of sunlight lying right across my bed.
The sun had been up a half-hour. l
couldn't make it out. I was stoopid.
1 threw my feet outer bed m sat star
in. How could l have slep' so?
"There want bit Of wind stirrin'
now. I hurried on my clO'es, m the
first thing did was to go out to the
shed. Ny kindlin' m my oil-can want
there.
II stood lookin' at the place where
they'd been. There were marks Of
muddy feet, bout half dry, m there
was my rubber boots, splashed N half
dry, too. 1t had ben rainy lately, m
the roads was full of puddles.
81 was pretty down. 1 didn't feels
if was sure of anything.
81 was leanin' up against the wall in
the woOdhouse when l seen mother go
cross the road to our neighbor's for
the milk.
"When she come back she looked
kinder excited. Seem me she stopped
at the open door with her tin quart in
her hand.
"'I didn't knows you was up she
said. Did you hear nothin' in the
night?
"'Nothin' but wind I answered.
"'That's what told um,' she said;
it blew so we couldn't hear the bells if
they'd ben under our noses.'
at always took so long for her to
come to the point.
"'Bells? l said. I wanted to shake
her. begun to tremble.
"'Yes; they rung both the meetin'-
house bells; but, lsud, what could they
do? Awful fire! The Stearns house
burnt to the ground in no time in such
gale. The work of incend'ry, they
say. I'm goin' to get breakfast right
away. Don't see to your hosses till
you've et.'
"She went in, m heard her settin'
the table. I didn't move till she called
me; m then, instid of goin' into the
kitchen, went upstairs m suit down
on my bed. I couldn't seem to sense
things. The Stearns house burnt down.
And didn't do it! Who done it? Yes,
who'd got ahead of me n done it? I
KEEP tryin' to think clear, but couldn't.
II heard mother call me again: then
she come up the stairs. I was so tried
with her l could have pushed her
way; but l didn't stir.
"'Alf,' she said, the coffee's gittin'
cold. I s'pose you're struck all Of
heap. So be I. They say there want
nobody killed; but Tom Merle resked
his life, m got awful hurt gittin' his
wife out. Come, the coffee'll be spilled
"She would stan there till started,
m 1 had to go down m drink the
coffee. But couldn't eat, N couldn't
even try. Mother KEEP sayin' 'twouldn't
help moth not to eat; m she didn't
wonder / was struck Of heap.
"JeSt as I couldn't bear it no longer,
m lad showed back from the table,
the outside door was opened, n Bill
Gurney come in.
"He looked at me as if he was sur
prised to see me, somehow. Bill was
the constable in our village; but !
didn't think of that then.
Mother offered him a cup Of coffee,
but he said he was in hurry, m they
wanted me down there, noddin' toward
the settlement.
II slipped on my coat m was ready.
Mother begun to question him bout
the fire; but he couldn't stop to talk.
II thought twas mighty odd he
should put his hand through my arm us
we walked down the road, but I let
him. didn't speak nor he didn't, till