The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-01-12

that had been trying to mount the hat
rack. Abandoning the enterprise, wit
a smile of superiority over my weake
self, / proceeded in my search, and f
nally planted my foot firmly Npon th
lowest step. Alas !! step number tw
convinced me of my error, and Nff Tom
| my's now velocipede toppled overxwitl
a crash, casting me PROSTATE besM1sHit
Then saw a nash Of light, and sooi
approaching nearer and nearer. Ia
though let down by a rope from the up
- regions. the white robed, graceful
form of my eldest daughtar, Kitty. Ri
sing and Offering her my arm we as
cended the stairs together. AS she lef
me at the room door l turned and sol
emnly gave her my parental blessing
She was visiby affected, even bursting
into tears and exclsiming, oh, fnther J!
as she hurried away.
The next morning found myself on
the spare room bed with all my clothes
on, except my cravat and one boot. The
cravat was on the hearth and the boot
was on the mantlepiece. Guns were
booming, 6recrackers were swapping,
the din OF powder and merry voices fill
ed the air. could hear my own young
sters shouting out Justify in the garden
and in the hall, the first bell was ting.
ling its summons through the house.
1t was the 4th of July, sure enough.
and l, MS head of the family, must pre-.
sent myself in suitable array At the break
fast table and inaugurate the jolities Of
the day. | seized the boot in one hand
and the cravat in the other, and proceed
ed meekly to the apartment generally
used in common by Mrs. F. and my.
self.
'Ah Mrs. F. said l bowing
rather sheepishly, in my attempt to pass
the stfair off as joke, Good morning
ma'am =
Good morning, john replied my
wife, not shade Of crossness in her
must 60 down and watch the child
rem. or they may do some mischief with
their pistols and firecrackers but come
to breakfast as soon as you can
With these words she left the room. |
was almost sorry she didn't scold or GO
on" little concerning my spree. THIS
sad, gentle way of speaking made me
uncomfortable, cough and strut about
the room as | would, for knew we'll
enough the pain and disgust gnawing at
her heart, and that during the past year
| had given her too frequent cause for
the reproaches that never came. though
l was prepared to receive them after ev.
cry offense.
Cold water, however, and clean clothes
braced me up somewhat, and soon after
the second bell' rang, l strobe majes-
lically through the halls. severe in my
dignity as head ofthe household. Reach
ing the basement door, paused mo-
ment, half dreading to meet the rows Of
young faces on either side Of the table,
and my wife's sweet. pale countenauce
beaming so quietly over them all. This
momen;ary weakness over. with pom.
pous ahem' I mustered the requisite
manner and entered.
There was no one at the table and on
ly Kitty was in the room-Kitty, my us
ually joyous girl, now standing in pen
sive attitude by the window.
1t was important that my children
should respect me, and felt, of course,
anxious to obli,erate from her mind any
impression Of weakness l might have
given her the previous night.
This is a glorious day, Kitty J ex-
claimed expansively-'a glorious day
my child-the day on which we as a ma
ton declared ourselves independent To,
day We must all be jubilant. victorious !
We must not NOPE in the house-we
must ride or sail somewhere in grand
family excurs' on, and breathe the sun.
shine and the glorious air of Freedom.
eh q
Kitty did not even turn her head but
l continued 10 speak as strobe up and
down the apartment.
Do you not enter into the spirit of
the day, child Read your history
read Of George Washington and tie glo-
rious men who suffered and died that we
might be free. FREE J. / repeated, seat
ing myself. and bringing my fist down
with emphasis upon the arm OF the chair.
= Yes, we must all celebrate this day
and now. Kitty, do not be afraid, tell me
where you would like to 60, or how we
shall best enjoy it,
BY this time Kitty's face seemed fair.