at the building in the evening; those on the four-o'clock shift put in an
hour or two in the morning, and mates off the night shift lent a hand at
any time during the day, one man taking up the work where the other left
off. Consequently--and as there was no ruling mind and no general
design--the school when finished seemed to lack continuity, so to speak.
As an architectural effort it displayed evidence of many excellent
intentions, but could not be called a brilliant success as a
whole--although one astute Parliamentary candidate did secure an
overwhelming majority of votes in Waddy after declaring the schoolhouse
to be an ornament to the township. The public-spirited persons who
contributed windows, it was tacitly agreed, were quite justified in
putting in those windows according to the dictates of their own fancy,
even if the result was somewhat bizarre. Jock Summers gave a bell hung in
a small gilded dome, and this was fixed on the roof right in the centre
of the building, mainly for picturesque effect; but as there was no rope
attached and no means of reaching the bell--and it never occurred to
anybody to rectify the deficiency--Jock's gift remained to the end merely
an ornamental adjunct. So also with Sam Brierly's Gothic portico. Sam
expended much time and ingenuity in constructing the portico, and it was
built on to the street end of the schoolhouse, although there was no door
there, the only entrance being at the back.

The building was opened with a tea-fight and a dance, and answered its
purpose very well up to the time of the first heavy rains; then studies
had to be postponed indefinitely, for the floor was a foot under water. A
call was made upon the united strength of the township, and the building
was lifted bodily and set down again on piles. When the open space
between the ground and the floor was boarded up, the residents were
delighted to find that the increased height had given the structure quite
an imposing appearance. Alas! before six months had passed the place was