News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-04-26
JACK
HARkAWAYS
SCHOOLDAYS
BY BRACEBRIDGE HEMYNG

MY dear Collinson, | forgive YOU"
said Mr.. Mole, with drunken gravity.
Il have request to make. You have,
l imagine some liquors here? AS it
happens, l have been drinking the gov
| errors sherry, and it has given me a
plaguing thirst. If you can crafty me
with glass of wine or drink of beer
shall sign myself Yours ever CRATE
fully, T. Mole"
GIVE him some beer" replied Collin
son. smiling.
Accordingly quart bottle of ale was
emptied into a jug and handed to him.
He drank every drop and returned
the jug with sigh of satisfaction.
Il knew we should be friends" he
said. why should we not? Yet these
chains are CALLING. There is an un-
| pleasant weight about my ankles, and
my shins begin to pain me. Cannot
| they be rGm0yed?"
"On no account" replied Collinson.
thin mist even put w with them,
though ii is trial. Perhaps a pipe Of
| tobacco viii not be refused me" said
Mi II le.
&tathcld handed him the pouch.
"AH!' exclaimed he as he filled his
pipe. This is Il discovery! | have al
ways suspected you Of smoking,
Startled, but | never could find you
out. When order is restored, | shall
not forget this"
You unGrateful-well, l won't abuse
YOU" replied Stanfeld. But l never
met such fellow before. Here do l
| give him some tobacco to comfort him
in his misfortunes, and he turns round
| upon me like q warmed viper"
Mr.. Mole did not reply.
A puff or two of smoke, the tobacco
| being shag and stronger than the mild
returns he was in the habit of smoking,
overcame him, and, decidedly intOXi-
Gated, he let the pipe fall from lis hanC
and, looking round him, laughed IN.
sanely.
Il say, boys" he exclaimed, "Wh;.
jolly spree! You've driven the 9~Yel4
or half wild; he'll have a fit. Iii ).
matter. You're jolly fellowish. /, <
more old ale-capital stuff, old ak
His request was complied with.
"Givesh shong, Col-Collins0n" Il.
continued letting the jug fall on tbs
| floor.
Before Collinson could reply his heaa
| fell back, and he went off to sleep, snor-
| ing like pig.
Il don't think they ought to talk
about us after this" remarked Stan
| field.
Lets tar and feather him and put
him out in the yard and then ring the
schoolbell," suggested Jack, who began
| to recover himself since the removal of
| the chains.
"Where's the tar to come from?"
asked Collinson.
Harvey had some to tar the top of
his new rabbit hutch with, and it's in
his locker now, pot, brush and ALL"
replied Jack.
"And the feathers?"
"They are easily got. Haven't we a
bed or two brought down from the dor
mitory"
"Capitalr' cried all the boys who
were awake in chorus.
1t was no sooner said than done. Mr.
Mole was stripped to the waist, he be-
ing so dead asleep as to be incapable
of making any resistance or even of
protesting. They left him only his
trousers, boots and his socks. With
pair of scissors they cut his hair short
and, applying the brush, gave him
thick coating of tar. Ripping open the
feather bed. the boys took up handfuls
of feathers and threw them at him I'M
til he was as white as snow.
"That will do" said Collinson. "Fas-
ten him in chair-he is too tight to
Standard we will carry him into the
yard"
Properly speaking, he ought to be
ridden on a rail. That is the way they
do it in America" exclaimed Jack.
"Never mind. He'll do as it is" an
swered Collinson. Il say, Stanfeld,
just unbar the door and take a look
out. Squint round the corner and see
if all is clear"
Stanfeld did as he was requested and
reported all clear and not a light to be
seen anywhere.
"As 1 thought" said Collinson.
They've given it up for tonight and
have all gone to bed. So much the bet
ter. Lend us hand here, some of you
fellows"
Several willing hands helped Collin
son to carry the chair to which Mr.
Mole was fastened so that he could not
fall out. They took it to the middle of
the yard and tied a lantern round the
senior masters neck. Then they re.
tired to the schoolroom, rebarricaded
the door and congratulated themselves
upon the success of their enterprise.
Collinson seized the bell rope and be-
gan to pull it violently. Such a noise
had never been heard in the middle of
the night since Pomona House was a
school, In short time lights flashed
at more than one window. Mr.. Craw-
cour thought the premises were on
fire. He rushed out partly dressed,
quickly being Joined by Mr.. Pumpleton,
Mr.. Stonor and M. Bolivant. They di-
rected their steps to the yard.
When Collinson saw them coming, he
lert OF ringing, and the boys, with sup
pressed laughter, watched them wind
| their way, shading their candles from