The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-12-30
The Belfry Tower.

little boy.
well, go to my desk and bring me
that little picture in the gold frame"
So the little boy brought the picture
and climbed upon his fathers knee,
and this was the story he heard:
This, laddie, is the miniature OF
your most famous ancestor, your great
great-great- grandfather Sir Roger Tenn
pleton. He was a brave and gallant
knight, and lived in merry. England
in the time Of good Queen Bess And
when l was a little boy like you, lad
die, there was nothing in all the world
l liked so we'll as to listen to the sto-
ries Of his many valiant deeds.
and often he would look first at
this NINA ture and then at me, and say
proudly that 1 had the Templeton nose
the long, aristocratic Templeton nose.
Then l would dream Of knights and
lists and tournaments, and the brave
deeds Of my ancestors.
And one day I thought of the bel
fry tower In the old church where my
father preached. l had heard that the
ascent was difficult, and that no one
had attempted 1t for long time. Here
at last was a task worthy of valiant,
long nosed Templeton! So instead Of
going nuttlng with the, boys, l slipped
into his study and took from his desk
the heavy iron church key, and hurried
to the church, which stood on lonely
hill little out of the village.
Il turned the key in the rusty lock,
climbed the gallery stairs and opened
the door leading to the belfry. The
first two flights Of stairs were easily
climbed, though the way was dark
and dusty and, oh, so dreadfully still!
Then the stairs ended, and long
ladder led upward into the tower. Some
Of the rounds were broken, and the
whole thing seemed terribly shaky. For
a moment longed to turn back; then
l remembered my brave ancestors.
started up the ladder.
Il climbed it safely, and found my
self in a tiny room just below the bel
fry. Then came another short stair
way, and at last had reached the end
of my journey. And, oh, how good it
seemed to be out in the clear air and
bright sunshine once more! And how
tiny the village looked, far, far be-
low!
Then 1 saw by the setting sun that
I must hurry down If wished to reach
home in time for supper. So I start
ed to go, but turned back for just one
more look at the big bell, and at that
from below. The treacherous old lad
der had fallen, and I was a prisoner
in the tower!
Il shouted and called, but no one
heard me. The sun went down, and
it became quite dark In the belfry. The
stars came out, one by one, and still
crouched beside the big bell, hungry
and cold and frightened.
AT last, shivering with cold, crept
down to the tiny room below the bel
fry. It was warmer there, and Sob
bed myself to sleep, and dreamed that
Observation-Disclosures Temple
ton came a-riding on broom, witch
fashion, and carried me away-away-
over the treetops.
Then I awOke in great terror, for
the whole tower was alive with sound,
and shaking and trembling in fearful
manner.
1.-The big bell was ringing madly:
Boom! boom! boom! All the world
seemed full Of noise.
y Boom! boom! boom. l clapped my
hands to my ears.
''Then it stopped for moment, and
far below, very, very family, l heard
the cry, Boy lost! boy lost! boy lostr
Then boom! boom! boom. went the bell
again.
But at last it stopped, and they
heard my cries, and came with lights
and ladder, and took me safely down
and carried me home.
I'm my mothers arms l told nv
story. My father listened quietly. and
somehow, with his grave eyes upon me.
the taking Of the church key seemed
anything but knightly deed.
when l had finished, my father
said, very sternly, There was one viz
tue, my son, that your noble ancestors
valued even more than courage, and
that was HONOR
The little boy gazed long and
thoughtfully at the miniature Papa
said he, "have the Templeton nose?''
mo, laddie," said his father. "Your
nose is just an every-day-twentieth-
century nose, and the most gallant deed
you can do tonight is to 60 straight
upstairs to bed!'-YOuth's Companion.
The Rooster.
''Pop!"
Yes, my son.
"A rooster always sleeps standing
up. doesn't he?"