Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1902 — A LUCKY FOURTH [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A LUCKY FOURTH

BY WELDON J. COBB.

CYO ©THING had been talked of nt JIVI Fordham for a w eek but picnics, viYJ buggy drives, ice cream and fireworks, for Fourth of July was near at hand, but to pretty Nellie Boyd Independence Day meant anxiety and dissatisfaction. . Nellie had two lovers- Roy Newton and Hugh Dennison. Roy was full of “smart talk,’’ flashing like a meteor. Hugh was plain, honest and earnest, a giant In athletic sports, and with inborn reverence and respect for all womankind. Nellie was in a quandary. Roy had asked her to go on a steamboat exenralon*t>n the Fourth, Hugh to the picnic of the local Veter.ma’ Club. She knew not which invitation to accept. On the Ist of July Nellie kept out of the way of the luckless swains. July 2 aha received an unexpected letter. It cut the Gordion knot. In great relief she indited two .dainty notes. That evening two young men entered the postoflice. When they came out each had a letter. Roy went around one corner hurriedly—Hugh turned another, his heart beating like a trip-hammer. Absorbed, these two young gentlemen unconsciously walked around the block and met. Hugh stammered, Roy flushed —both looked sheepish. “Er—going anywhere particular the Fourth?” inquired Roy. “I was,” replied Hugh, “but this settles it,” and he frankly exhibited Nellie’s missive. "I reckon we are In the same boat,” pursued Hugh. “We’re left on the same Kiri, but that don't blot out the Fourth of July entirely, does it?” “Too late to ask another girl,” grumbled Roy. “Oh, I wasn’t thinking of another girl,” answered Hugh, loyally. “I was wondering if you and I couldn't go off somewhere and have a pleasant day of it? I put aside some money for the Fourth, and I guess it's patriotic to spend it.” They arranged to take the train down to Brocton the next day and put in the Fourth at that place. Nellie’s letters had told them that a distant school friend had written asking her to spend the Fourth with her, and she had accepted the invitation. They reached Brocton, got a meal at a restaurant, and here Roy left his satchel, promising to return and arrange about a hotel later. Hugh wished he was back home, for as aoon as Roy had found out he had brought only five dollars with him, he had acted very coldly. Hugh was wandering down a rather 111-looking street when he noticed a barber shop. "I believe I'll get a haircut,” he derided, aml entered the place. There was solid luxury in the velvet chair, and soothing influence iii the barber's deft touch. Hugh fell asleep. When he awoke he looked into the mirror startled. His hair was a creation of art. His incipient mustache was a streak of glittering black. He was oiled, scented, pomaded from scalp to throat! “Monsieur nodded ‘Yes,’ when I asked shampoo? hair dye? sea foam? extraCt rosa de-rose? curl mustache?” explained the wily artist. “But—view monsieur’s superb ensemble! And only three dollars and eighty-five cents!” “What!” shonted Hugh. Glibly the barber ran over the Items. They tallied. Hugh got boisterous. The

barber called n policeman. Hugh adjusted the infamous swindle, and wrathfully returned to the restaurant. Roy had called for his satchel and departed. "He's too mean to train with!'’ commented Hugh, bitterly—"he has given me the slip purposely. I’m too common for him?’ Hugh had just enough money to pay his railroad fare home, but the evening train had departed. He was not hungry, but 41P was sleepy. He walked to the city’s edge, and turning in among some .bushes, slept as he had often slept at home—on the soft grass, under the quiet stars. It was about 5 o’clock Fourth of July morning when Hugh awoke. In the distance echoed fitful spurts of explosive sound, but nearer noises disturbed him. A horse, riderless, hut heavily saddled, had slipped down the embankment. Struggling to right itself, the steed rolled almost over on Hugh. He grasped out and caught the saddle girth. It snapped loose, he fell back, narrowly escaping the Hying hoofs, and the horse sprang up Into the road again and dashed oft wildly. "A runaway!” murmared Hugh—‘‘and some one after it.” Into view galloped a h»resman, who halted with a shock. He glared down at Hugh, leveling a pistol. “Quick!” he demanded—“did you see a horse?” “Of course I did.” answered Hugh, boldly facing. "Don't you hear him?” In the distance sounded the hoofs of the runaway. With a growl the man started in pursuit before Hugh could refer to the saddle. This the horse had left behind him in the bushes. Hugh examined its bulging flaps. The leather pockets were bursting with bank notes, silver and postage stamps. Hugh did a heap of thinking. Th<fn he covered the saddle with brush, and went into the city. Early editions of the morning papers were just out. Newsboys were shouting: “Full account of the postoffice robbery!” Hugh purchased a paper. Amid the rising pop and bang of early fireworks, he read of the burglary of the local postoffice—booty secured, twenty thousand dollars; reward offered, ten per cent. Hugh went to the nearest police station and told his story. There was no doubt

bgt that he had in hiding the plunderstuffed saddle of a runaway horse of the thieves. As Hugh left the station, two hours after the saddle had ben sent for, and the stolen booty Identified, he carried in. his pocket an order for two thousand dollars. A patrol wagon just then drove up, loaded with youpg men. He started as he recognized among them his recreant comrade Roy, one of a coterie arrested in a gambling haunt. Hugh secured his release and loaned him twenty-five dollars to get to a distant relative in temporary humble retirement. That was a lucky Fourth of July for Hugh. A few evenings later, when he modestly told his story to the Boyds, Nellie looked pleased, and her father observed : “You showed yourself no spendthrift with your five dollars. Hugh, if you did get tricked out of most of it —and as you have two thousand in bank as a nest egg, why not settle down and gtt married?” This was plain and plump. Nellie blushed. Later, she hid her head on sturdy Hugh’s shoulder as he asked her: "Roy or Hugh, dear; which is it to be?” There was no hesitation in the answer, and brate, loyal Hugh was'hnude happy.

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