Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
The Tragedy ofthe Ice House
BY ETHEL POWERS.

BY ETHEL POWERS
Don and Meta Deming considered them
selves two very much abused children.
They had been hastily bundled off from
home toAunt Neiiie's because Sister Elise
had suddenly broken out with the measles.
Now this might have been all very Moe If
they had been sent anywhere else but to
Aunt Nellie's of all placesi For it must
be admitted that at times this old lady
could be decidedly cross, and such was the
case this lovely morning. Auntie was at
tending to house cleaning, and did not
want children 'iputtering round"
So they hung listlessly on the front gate,
swinging to and fro, and gazing down the
dusty road.
It's awful hot, Meta" Don said. "Oh.
dear, l do wish we could find cool place.
Let's go down by the barn under those old
trees
Meta assented, and together they wan
dered away.
The cool of the old elms aroused their
dropping spirits. and kindied desire for
mischief in Don's active mind: also made
him realize deeper sense of his wrongs.
Look here, Meta he began conf
dentially, Il think Aunt Nellie is a cross
old thing She won't let us jump in the hay
or ride the horses or-or-do anything we
want to. Now just let's for once do as we
please It's real mean we have to be
mere ally way
Meta. more conscientious than her
brother. hesitated. That's all very fine.
Don,' she said, but suppose we should
be sent home in disgrace"
why, that's just what we want,
Goosey," he answered; aren't we both
just aching to go home? Come on, let's
jump in her old hay. and ride every
with to
Meta. throwing her scruples to the winds,
darted after. and together they made
straight for the hayloft, and jumped to
their hearts delight. This soon grew tire
some, and leaving the hay in wild con-
fusion the next act of Don's program was
to ride every horse on the place" His
courage failed him. however. when he saw
Beauty. the black mare. dancing around
the stable yard kicking her shining heels
to the air. and SO instead he mounted on
quiet. old Dandy, and had just as much
fun riding once soberly around the yard.
ny this time Meta grew uneasy. Two
acts of fragrant disobedience were enough
for one morning, she thought. But not SO
Don. There still remained hunting in the
was against the law. So Meta gave in
again. and after soaring several respectable
old biddies nearly to death, they succeeded
in finding four nice white eggs, which they
were afraid to take in to cook.
They next turned their steps toward the
orchard. and in an evil moment Dons eye
fell upon the Ice house.
THE very thng!' he cried, lets slide
down the roof"
Now this was considered a crime by Aunt
Nellie. and in telling them all the things
they must not do during their visit she had
laid particular stress upon the ice ..ouse. To
begin with, 1t was old. and the shingles
were weak, and then again 1t was disas-
trous to trousers and clean dresses The
roof was peaked. and it required great skill
to climb up, and once being there it took
much more art to keep from sliding down
again. And If you have ever seen an ice
house like this or tasted the delights of
g tnu Ifc frxrif 81
know what great temptation it is
Come on, Meta" Don cried, "only a few
Slides"
No. I won't" fatty cried Meta, Aunt
Nellie would be furious
''Fraidcat!" said Don scornfuIly I'm
going to, anyway" and he Immediately
proceeded to scramble to the top on his
hands and knees. while Meta turned away
and went slowly toward the house.
Don thought he was having a beautiful
time. He'd struggle to the top, and then.
sitting down. slide slowly to the bottom.
staining his trousers beautiful green color
from the moss the old shing es. and
making himself generally dirty from head
to foot. Just once more" he finally said,
land then I'll go and find Meta" Fatal
once more! In the very middle of the slide
bang! square of shingles suddenly broke
and without the slightest warning let Don
down hard into the cod ice house below
He fell, perhaps ten feet, and because the
| ice cakes were well wrapped up in blankets
| of straw he didn't break any bones But
there he was, as securely Imprisoned as
though he were in dungeon, for the door
was locked, and there was no possible
chance of getting out the way he had so
Unexpectedly entered.
Don was dreadfully frightened for he i'm
agined all sorts of awful things in the dark
corners. and it was damp and cold, and he
| might have to stay there a week.
In the meantime. when lunch was ready
and no Don, Aunt Nellie and Meta grew
very much worried, for Don was never late
| for meals, Aunt Nellie asked all sorts of
| embarrassing questions about what they
! had been doing that morning, and finally
| found out that Don was last seen sliding
down the ice house roof.
The afternoon wore on. and nothing was
| heard of the missing boy. Then suddenly
| the gardener came rushing in to saw that
| there was a big hole in the ice house roof
and would the madam ease give him the
Key, Tor he thought some animal had fallen
| IN Aunt Nellie not only gave him the kew
| but also went with him to the ice house
| having dim suspicion in her mind what
| the animal was
| The door was unlocked and there-well,
of course. you know what they found
Don woke up the next morning with such
| his bones that he could hardly move and
| bed was the ony place for him4.And to
make it worse Aunt Nellie wrote to mother
who>sent back word that Meta could safely
come home now, and she was panied that
she must come in disgrace but on no ac-
count to have Don moved for at least
week. So there he stayed. and it is needless
| to say that the next time Don visited Aunt
Nellie he refrained from sliding down the
Ice house roof. 49,.