Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 June 1903 — AN UNEXPEGTED GELEBRATION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AN UNEXPEGTED GELEBRATION

By Candice A. Bramble.

«f AGK and Nelli* F oster and their j Jl three young neighbors, the Rlakes, d vm holding a consultation beneath elm tree which stood just upon I ghe Mm between the two dooryarde. **| tell you, I call it a shame that we go In to the city, as we always hare AeCeeer* said Jack Poster, dilcoutent•Wsfl, yeu know we can’t, So what’s MO of scolding all the time about it, JatkT* replied his sister Nellie. «Of course father isn't to blame for fefeg sick, and I suppose your father is •bant as sorry as we that his business tofe hi»» away just now," said Gladys La her gentle rolce. -gist on the Fourth of July," intergaptod her brother Tom, impetuously. Ift toe bad for anything. It wouldn’t he gslts so mean If we bad a few fireaeii to let oft at night; but here we ant, at most dimd-broke, with hardly CMMgch money between us to buy a desupply of firecrackers, let alone anytota* else.” “WsU» never mind,” answered Jack, •MHmturecfty. ‘'Firecrackers will make a dreadful lot of noise if they’re property handled, and what fun to be had Ami amiss is bound to be oura next Bsartiy. Eh, Tom!" and he gave hie irisart a poke which tumbled him over spaa his baok in the grass, where he aharttlad a delighted “You bet It is, old “Oh, hat we’ve forgotten all about poor aid Mr. Norris!" cried Gladys, remorseflalif. **VV cant go to-shooting off crackmrn sad making a whole' lot of noise, beaa—s. you iknow, it will hurt his head smd sank* him ever so much worse. We •utfL indeed.” ' "Well, l like that!” shouted Toni, as la glared wrathfully at the big brick Aewae Just across the way. “What ia Tooth of July for if people are not to •ale any noise? and, besides, what do me care if we do hurt his old head? I’m •arc he was never so careful about hurttog- our feelings.’’ “Yea," chimed In Nellie, “he’s a dreadful mran v cross-patchy old thing, Gladys jaa know yourself he is—and I don’t ■are if hia head does ache a little, and 1 don’t think you ought to, either, as many times be has set bis horrid dog on our- eatot and you know he never will Ah ua atep inside Ills yard, even to look far a ball or anything.” “Y«a.” chimed in little 3-year-old RobUa gravely, “an’ he said If I peeked tote ugh the fence any more to see the •eanacks he’d turn out an' spank me; an’ } han’t like him, too." , •*?*v Robbie!” returned Gladys, with • reproachful look. “It’s a shame for won to aay so. Only just think, poor Mr. Ifairta hasn’t any little boya and girla to bo goad to him, or any one to love kto, and he’s old and lame and tick, ml It’s a« wonder he's cross. I’m aura -w* would be If wc had half his troubles to fret ua.” “Well, then. Miss," Tom said, hia tone ■ little less wrathful than before, for he, ma wall as little Robbie, had been lmguuaaad by his sister’s remonstrance, "if urafto not to fire off crackers, and are to •a walking around on our tiptoes all day Jtoht, ao’s not to make any noise, perAapa you’ll tell us what we can do next Sfcuißday, if it wouldn’t trouble yon too

“Yes, I win,” returned Gladys brigtatgaU» unruffled by Tom’s sarcasm, *%)‘i take our dinner and go ore r on fflte Wand and stay all day long. Then WIfWL bo so far away that oar noise Wk trouble Mr. Norris, and I'm sure matt bare lots more fan than we coaid Tbo children aU realised the truth of fflMi statement. Oat Tom felt that he m—t net yield the point too easily, and ■» objected. ‘‘Bat how do you know ft— will let as go?" nonsense, Tom!” cat in Jack, Mbb- “Of coarse she will, an» what’s Gladys is right, sod yon know it, S»Wrt rate any more objection*” ■» It was settled, and from that mo■aamt fseparatioos for a very delightful li'm the island went steadily on. Ths fef esscted a fort and fortifications too

the bloodless battles which were to be waged with firecrackers and popguna, and the girls busied themselves making ready the banquet, which was to be an elaborate affair, while little Robbie impartially gave his aid to every one, helping and hindering aa only an active small boy can. At last the morning dawned, bright and beautiful as a Fourth of July should be, and every one was so busy that no one noticed when Robbie stole out into the yard and stood looking wistfully across the road. “Poor old man!” he said, softly, “I’m sorry he isn't got any little boys an’ girls to love him, an’ I fink I’ll take him some posies an’ two booful firecrackers to make him a good Forf o' July. I don’t fink he’ll be cross to me.” A few moments later Mr. Norris, fretting upon his softly cushioned couch in the dim library of his great, lonely home, was surprised to hear the tap, tap of tiny

boot heela in the hall, and then to see Robbie's face smiling upon him from the doorway. “I bringed yon some flowers,” he said, aoftly, “and two nice firecrackers, too. I couldn’t spare any more, ’cause we hasn’t got very many. I’pa awful sorry you’s sick, an’ we’re all going away off to shoot our firecrackers, ao the bangs won’t make your head be worse. Goodby." So strangely and silently had Robbie come, and so abruptly had he departed, that Mr. Norris would have thought it all a dream had he not had tangible evidence of its truth In the bunch of gaudy flowers and the two brilliant firecrackers

which Robbie had left upon the stand at his side. By 12 o’clock the merry little company on the island was ready for something to eat, and gathered eagerly about the little feast apread out upon the ground. “Dh, Robbie!” cried Gladys in a dismayed tone, in the very midst of the banquet, “what have yon done? You careless boy to step in our beautiful lemon pie!” Sure enough, to their great dismay the children discovered that Robbie had sue* ceeded in planting one dusty little' foot right iu the very center of the tempting pie which waa considered the crowning dainty of the apread. “Never &ind,” answered Robbie, gravely, inspecting hia foot with Interest. “I don’t fink it will hart my shoe very much. I guess it will all wipe off.’* Robbie was so solemn and so utterly unconscious of the mischief he had done that the children all bunt into laughter, and in the midst of the merriment Mr. “Norris’ good-natured coachman appeared before them with an immense banket upon hia arm. “There,” he eaid, setting It down with a thump in their midst, “Mr. Norris sends this, with his compliments, to Master Robbie, and he hopes you’ll enjoy U; and I’m to tell you that If you’ll come over on the lawn to-night there’s be a few fireworks which perhaps you’ll like to see,” and with a kindly nod at hia delighted and astounded hearers, Hiram was gone. “What does it mean? Somebody pinch me, so I’ll be quite sure it’e not all a dream!” gasped Nellie, after a moment of breathless silence. “No, it isn’t a dream, because here’s the basket, and do let's see what ia in it,” returned Jack, seizing the heavy basket and eagerly tearing away the paper covering. If I should try, I could not tell yon all the goodies which that basket contained. Nor could I describe the beauty and brilliancy of the fireworks upon the lawn that evening. But every one of the children declared, when tired and happy they separated for the night, that Mr. Norris was a moat delightful person and that this Fourth of July had been by far the best they ever yet had known.—Detroit Free Press.

The eating of snakes, lizards, scorpions, centipedes, tarantulas and othei reptiles is now prohibited by statute in Kansas.

“EAGERLT GATHEBED ABOUT THE LITTLE FEAST.”