New-York tribune. [volume], June 05, 1904, Page 14, Image 40

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
14
of a dozen boys. Axel had an car for music, and he
could whistle as only one boy in a thousand can. In
this respect he was the envy of every other boy in
school and out of it. His notes were clear and pene
trating, and he whistled the march from beginning to
end without a mistake. Evidently be had practised
it with some one who had the music. Later, Miss
Hedges learned the secret, for she caught Nellie Booth
playing it softly for him during the noon hour. As
there were no other children in the building she did
not interfere; but she was not quite sure that her tire
drill inarch was not becoming too common. Still, as
long as it was reserved exclusively for the drill in
school hours, her main ob
ject would be accomplished.
The drills continued at
uncertain intervals; but al
ways preceded by a warn
ing. When the children
were told thai a rill was
coming it was not uncom
mon to hear one of them
say: "Now we'll get the
march!" or at the first
stroke of the gong: "Listen!
It will start now." A pos
sible tire was farthest from
their thoughts, which seem
ed to Miss Hedges to be just
the end sought.
But the day finally came
when the alarm sounded
without previous warning.
There was a tire in tie
basement, which the engin
eer had tried vainly to
smother, and having sound
ed the school gong the re
quisite number of times he
had rushed to a fire-alarm
box.
Principal Black could hear
the shuffling feet >>n all
flooi .is he rushed from
his office. He could not be
lieve th.it then- was a tire;
some one must have dared
t.. test tlie tm- drill.
" Who lid that? 'hi cried.
There was no answer for
the teachers were busy hold
ing their excitable t h.irges
in line. Already the fore
most were beginning t<>
emerge from the ro.,ms.
Go back ' " he cried.
"There's n< • fire! "
Principal Bla< k. hearing
the .-.in for the first time
without warning, had lost
his head; for clearly he
should ha' • let the drill go
on, whatever might be the
occasion for it Then, a
second unwise thing, he
darted down the lair His
purpose was to see what
was wrong; but it seemed
like Bight, and the children
and some of the teachers
so interpreted it. ( in. o f
the boys bolted alter the
principal. A second tried
to follow; but Miss Raymond
caught him and gave him
such a box on the ear that
he whimpered. That stead
ied the line for a minute,
but for only a minute.
"Where's the music?" asked Miss Ray
mond, anxiously. On the floor below the
same question was being asked by Mis
Hedges. The lines were moving now; but
the children needed a steadying influence.
The first of them had seen Principal Black
run, and they were so frightened that it
required the Utmost efforts of the coolest
of the teachers to prevent a wild rush. One foolish
one, deathly pale and trembling, was advising her
charges to hurry.
"The music! The music!" cried Miss Hedges.
It was Nellie Booth's turn to play; but she was
unexpectedly absent that day. and in the excitement
no one seemed to remember it. Few, indeed,
knew it.
"Tommy Closs! Where is Tommy ("loss"'" called
Miss Hedges.
Tommy was hurrying down from the floor above.
"Quick! The piano!" urged Miss Hedges, as
Tommy came down the stairs
Tommy swerved toward it; but at that moment
a puff of smoke came up the stairway, accompanied
by frightened cries from the first floor, and Tommy
continued his flight Miss Kelly, seeing the smoke,
SUNDAY MAGAZINE for JUNE 5. 1904
begaa to scream; two <>r three <>f the boys broke
away; and the pupils above *.he first floor were on
the verge "f a panic. Fortunately, most <>f the
teachers kept their wits; I-ut the length <>t time
during which they could prevail was measured !>y
scii »nds.
At that critical instant the notes of the r"ire-<lrill
march came t<> the nearly frantic pupils — nn t from the
piano, but from the lips of Axel Stromm. He stood be
tween the two stairways, his collar firmly gripped by
Miss Hedges. Thus had caught him as be passed
lur. and she dared noi 1«- 1 j^">.
"Louder!" she commanded "It*s all right! I'll
stay lure with vmi'"
There was something in her tone and manner that
gave him confidence. She spoke with determination.
/ A\eRMAIDS-by Elizabeth Rucgles. \ V
Something must huve happened, one da), in the sou. \
for all the little mermaids so excited scorned to be. \
Their lovely railed gowns were torn in perfect shreds. \
And nil their golden h«iir was down and flouting from their heudA
Of course I cannot tell you what it could have been'
But I am' just imagining from what I've lately seen
for when the children looked for treasures on the shore.
They found just what the Fairy hook hail told them all before;
Thejtraifing raffles brown, the golden moss s° fair
Were pieces °f 0 mermaids gown and locks of mermuid's hair
'Are there really mermaids way down in the Sea?
"Why" of course! for whose *on Earth could these ruffles be'?
hut without the least evidence of tV.ir. She was en
tirely self-possessed
" Xc ep step, children ' " commanded.
Under th<- influence of the fire-drill m.mh discipline
reasserted itself The [i;j>ils >!nl certain things in
stinctively whenever they heard it. and they did those
things now It was tin- trifle needed to enable the
cool-headed teachers to regain th> control they had
almost lost; it steadied them as well ;i*. the children.
They spoke more calmly after the firsi strennote
efforts t.> keep the Inns f"r. -m breaking
Loud and clear sounded the march. Axel Stromra,
under the inspiration of the moment and uncon
sciously thrilled by this evidence of his power, had ,il
mosi forgotten r\u- danger He was doing this! 11.
Axel Stromm, was doing what no other could <!<>.
Occasional gusts of smoke came up the stairways,
■■d some of the children coughed ami choked as .ey
went through Uk lower hallway; but they rr.a e<!
steadily, steadily down and out, there being a .tk
only now and then as they got in sight of the ■ cr
door.
"You can get them out. Axel," whjspei <
Hedges, confidently, "and then you can whist:
together."
He only nodded. She still had hold of hi. ; ur;
but that was no longer necessary. It left v ■ . - ;•_
he would have continued whistling there v:.
smoke choked him. He had forgotten hi „f
the moment before, when she had giver. I
arst impcratr. • .- :
Whistle' \V
tire-drill march 1 " .-. . >
had given htm I
lence that enabled I
do it. An.! she ha I : :
ten that she still held |
by the collar Si:.- 1
Acted OH impulse \\':.-. •
I aagfal him rushing :
stairs, aftt-r he had ■
his teacher. The r< . '-
ti< -ti i i his wondi rfnl
ting ability had conn
Fur like an fa n;ai
-::• still held him fast
Splendid, Axel!* 1 si
. D ' ' Se •
bow it quiets them! "
kh.y thmical, re g v 1 ...
tramp, tramp, trai
Some ol the boys n
bringing their feel
hard i m the load n .t
tb v did i" drill
"t'jet m step, ! v.
cautioned Mi-- !.
and one boy's a i «as
temporarily diven p .^
the possible dang< r
Two teacher- I c ■•
ed then posts, ai ■ ■
them was alr> .. i .
hysterics •■'.::-:■ !i b«
rest kept then .1!
thi ragjb they I « >ki I it -
ly .it the incre.;
of srrii >ke thai 1 up
the ctaiiwaj . • •
which the v '.•■ ': c"
steadily marching n
had t'uy been so 1 I .1.
these cotdd nd des< ■ •.'.<
the boy and warns stoo 1
calm'v between " '•' •
stairways, the «■::« \\ :-
ling and the othct .c«. tag
time with her foot.
"Come. Axel"" said Mas
Hedges, at last.
The rear guard of I
eta had passed them, si
ing that the ro<>ir.> v
ilear. and the two tur
to follow them into li
-moke. Axel still whistl
l»ut he choked on the stair-
There was no need toj
whistle now; but somehow
neither of them seemed
to realize it. Miss Hrdjgea
ivaved her tree hand before
his face to drive the smoke
away, and the march was
heard again.
Thus they emerged, the tasi
two Owl Of the building. j«Bt S
the firemen were going it
There was something ridiculoi: .
about it — these two solrmnfjr|
keeping lime to the tire-drill 1
march — if anyone had been
looking for riilKiilous features.
but no one was.
Instead, there was such an outburst of cheers
as probably never greeted modest hen ■<. before.
The children had been excitedly telling how Axel
had whistled them out of the building and saved
them from the tlames
The boy was the first to recover his \ oice under the
shower of congratulations and questions that assailed
them as they came from the entrance. j
" Please let go of my collar." he said, md Miss Hedge M
laughed somewhat hysterically .is she departed from
the scene I
The enthusiastic crowd made a rush for Axel.
hoisted hint to their shoulders, and triumphantly 1
bore him down the street to his home, keeping time
as they marched to the weß-remembered strains ..fl
the tire-drill march, then the y proudly set him down J
on his own porch and dispersed. I