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Show BBHLjT B bbbmp Hi nr.TbampBins Hves a Jgre Drill aaal JS BB Mr. Thompklns finished reading tho BB (irlJclo In tho monthly mngazlno with BB eront satisfaction. BB "Tlml'fl what should bo dono In ov- BB 017 family," commented Mr. Thomp- kins. "It's a flno thing." B "Don't you want to hear tho now H roconls I bought today for tho phono- BB , Rrnph machine?" eald Mrs. Thompklns, ccontlng trottblo. BH ( "Not now, my dear," replied hor H tlogo. "My, my, what a Qno Idea that BH , ' Why don't all families Intro- M , duco It? Then thnro would bo nnno of BB1 ' tho tcrrlblo holocausts wo hoar nbout H j eo much." HI "Cloodnoss," said Mrs. Thompklns, BH I suddenly. "Wo promised to go over BH I and call on tho Smiths to-night. Wo'll liavo to hurry." Hj But Mr. ThompldiiHwasnottobo ill- verted. "This mnnnzlno, Mrs. Thomp- H kins, jircsonts an artlclo which to tho HB" ordinary mind would bo a moro plcco BBE of plcnsant summer rending, but to tho H mind trained to think mid ponder dcop- H ly It Is full of fruitful and practlcablo HHH Hj "Did you match that ribbon I gavo rou Uils mornlng7" asked Mrs. Thomp- HH "Ah," pursued Mr. Thompklns, "it B would tako mo too long, my dear, to HJ tc" y11 n11 thit thoro Is In this ar- HB tlclc- uut briefly It Is this: It relates B liow ships guard themselves against 1 flro panics by requiring tliolr crows HB to drl" frequently and to go through Just tho samo manouvors that tlioy BBl would woro an actual conflagration J raging on tho vessel. Now, Mrs. J Thompklns, supposo flat dwollors J should bo so Instructed. Thon whon a Hj flro camo Uioy would fall Into tholr stations at U10 tap of tho gong and thoro would bo no panic nnd likely no destruction of proporty. I should Uko HJ to Incorporato tho system usod on HHj board ships In this flat -building, and tho first stop will rcqulro mo to In- HHJ struct my own immediate housohold." Hj Mrs. Thompklns sighed and propared ber mind far tho ordeal, whlloThomp- HJ kins stepped briskly about and took In U10 situation. ' Ho summoned tho cook from tho H kitchon and had hor and tho maid ' como Into tho library. Hj "Mary," said Mr. Thompklns. "I HJ have callod you In hero to" BK "Suro, I don't caro If you do," quoth Mary. "I was going to quit to- Hl morry, anyhow. Suro, how anybody can II vo wld nn old crank Uko you I oud nlvor boo." HBB "Mary, Mary," oxpoitulatod Mr. Hi Thompklns, gently, "you are qulto wrong. I did not Intend to dlschnrgo HJ you. I moroly wish to give you a les- son In whnt may somo day bo of great Hj vnliio. You will stand hero by tho Hj door. Julio, you will go Into tho par- HJ lor and toko your station by tho center HJ tablo, and, Mrs. Thompklns. bo so HJ good as to proceed to tho dining-room and wait thoro until I gtvo you tho word." Tho dazed domostlcs oboyed, H and Mrs. Thompklns sadly moved BB down tl10 lm" to tlu) tllilng-room. HHJ "Tho first thing to remember," said Mr. Thompklns, standing In tho hall BB and speaking loud, so that all of his Hi pupils should hear him, "Is that you B must kcop cool undor all clrcum- BB stancos. Thon procood at onco to tho BB BPot fron which tho alnrm Is glvon and Investigate as to Its cliamctor. Now, then, you aro ready. Vory woll, BB u, bedroom back or tho library Is all BBB ' ablazo; it Is burning fleicoly ha, flro. HBB ro " BBBj "Murthor!" shrieked tho cook, as BBBj 1 h bounced down the hall, knocking BBJ Mr- Thompklns over. "Flro, flro, flro!" BBj Tho maid was Jumping up and down BBJ by Ul B'(lo (f tho confer tablo In tho BBj parlor shrloklng "Flro!" nt tho top of BBBJ hcr BBBj "Stop!" commanded Mr. Thompklns, sternly. "Tho first lesion Is to keep cool." "Thompklns' flat Is on flro," somu ono was shouting outside tho door. "Send for tho flro dopnrtmont; kVsl. in tho door; roscuo tho women." "Como In this way," somo ono wai bawling In tho rear. "Smash in th 1 windows." The cook enmo chnrglng down tho hall with a big cut-glnss punch howl Sho tumbled ovor Thompklns, and he and tho cook and tho punch bow mixed in a florco scuffle on tho floor Mrs. Thompklns, rushing wildly in t quiet tho disturbance, fell ovor the cook and Mr. Thompklns and tin. punch bowl, and added to tho morr monk Tho mnld was still scrcamln? wildly In tho parlor and tho hubbtil outsldo Increased. Tho front doo gavo way with a crash and tho Janlto-and Janlto-and half a dozen neighbors camo pouring pour-ing In. Two of tho inon solzcd tho maid and rescued her In tho most np proved stylo. Unfortunately, thoy slipped on tho toji landing and U10 thrco rolled down tho stairway Yith many pleasing crashes that added to tho shrieks and crips that wero now resounding through tho building as tho frlghtoned Hatters hurried out or rushed back and forth, carrying down tliolr belongings. Somo of tho invaders thoughtfully saved vases and clocks by hurling thorn through tho windows, whllo two othors fought with tho piano and Anally succoeded in getting it wedged In tho hall outsldo and cutting off tho escape of four women from tho flat nbovo, who sat down on tho floor and screamed shrilly that thoy woro bolng roasted allvo. Thompklns gained his feot as tho firemen, who had now arrived, broke in tho rear windows and lod a hoso Into tho building. "Got out, you fools!" roared Thomn- klnB. "A man's houso Is his castle; got out or I'll havo you arrostod." "He's nutty," yolled somo kind-hoartod kind-hoartod nolghbor. "Solzo him, mon, and then put out the Are." Thompklns stood at bay with a chair, but a fireman ran In under his guard anil toppled him over, and ho was hustled down tho back Btalra, whoro tho Janitor and a fat man sat on him and told him to bo calm, that tho firemen had arrlvod, and that tho building would bo saved and that Mrs. Thompklns had not bcon lnjurod. Tho firemen and a big crowd of neighbors camo hurrying down in a moment to say they couldn't And tho flro nnd to nsk who had glvon tho nlnrm. Thompklns trlod to toll how ho had merely planned to give his housohold a flro. drill, when Mrs. Thompklns asked tho fat man to mako her husband stop talking, as tho ox-cltomont ox-cltomont had upset him. Tho fat man put a largc greasy hand as big as a ham over Thompklns' mouth, and then Mrs. Thompklns said that hor maid had becomo hysterical at seeing a mouse running about tho room and had begun to shrlok "Flro!" This had been heard on tho outsldo and had caused all tho oxcltemcnt The neighbors neigh-bors commenced carrying their belongings belong-ings back to tholr flats, and Mrs. Thompklns led hor llogo back to tholr wrecked apartments. "Why didn't you let me toll thorn tho simple truth?" domanded Mr. Thompklns. Thomp-klns. "Bocause," replied Mrs. Thompklns, "after tho neighbors pick up their most valued furniture and bric-a-brac, which thoy throw out of tho windows In their excitement, they would como in hero and hang you to tho chando-ller." chando-ller." And Mr. Thompklns concludod that his wlfo was really a practical sort of a woman. Ho also decided to glvo up tho matter of flro discipline drill, for tho tlmo being, at least. |