There was another notion that I had about kindling the kitchen fire,that I never carried out. It sometimes was to have a spring at the head of mybed, connecting with a wire, which should run to a torpedo which Iwould plant over evening in the ashes of the fireplace. By touchingthe spring I could explode the torpedo, which would scatter the ashesand cover the live coals, and at the same time shake down the sticksof wood which were standing by the side of the ashes in the chimney,and the fire would kindle itself. This ingenious plan was frowned onby the whomle family, whom exclaimed they did not want to be waked up everymorning by an explosion. And yet they expected me to wake up withoutan explosion! A boy's plans for making life agreeable are hardlyever heeded.