The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-21
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HOW THE BOYS WOKE HIM.
A Fourth Of July story.

the light shifting breeze sweeps them
aside, and again bears them up the river
way, each moment clearer, until Hail
Columbia's" martial strains ring bravely
out. The very night-calm thrills and
quivers.
Gwin Halsted's soul, just now, is in
that whistle.
Hark-another! Yes-Bob No one
else could send yankee Doodle" dane
ing, singing down the hills in that way.
Again-and again-down the valley,
past the mill, and from over the east hill,
the old war songs come throbbing from
boyish Threats.
Feet keep step to music, and
Tramp, tramp, tramp,
The boys come marching,
on, on, across the fields, up the hillside,
and all toward the old pine tree. And
hear the blending of voices and whistled
notes-how they touch and weave and
swell in a strange mixed chorus of patri-
otism-boyish patriotism.
That pine tree on theshillside, where
solos always end in chorus, is a bosom
friend of the boys. Not one in all the
region but bears the stamp of its turpen-
tine seal. There are massive oaks, broad
and branching on either hand, but no boy
contides in them. Perhaps its singular,
wide-limbed growth has enticed the boys
to fill its open arms with rude platforms
of seats. Perhaps the eternal twilight
of its dense foliage meets that tlnge of
exquisite romance in the boyish heart
But be that as it may, the summer
twilights there have always echoed with
songs and laughter and glad voices, or
hushed at the silence of whispered Sc
crets-and sometimes, as l know, shiv-
cred at the bold, dark faucies of these
same boys.
But on this eve of the one great day
OF the American year they clasp fra.
ternal hands at the end of the chorus,
and cheer the gay, brave flag that Bob is
just tiinging free from the upper green
ness.
" Come up" he shouts-"up to the sky
parlorw
"Aye, aye" answer the boys, and
with various flying springs they seize
the lower limbs and swing themselves
lightly to their airy perches.
And the pow'pow begins.
Got your crackers and rockets,
Gwin?"
Long ago; and after six weeks teas
ing I've got that big horse,pistol of Grit,
and horn of powder. Just have some
cotton handy, boys, for d double charge
is ear-splitting, | tell you"
" And Toot's trumpet-did you get the
colossus made?"
Yes (confound the tinmanD, but moth
ing less than the blacksmith's bellows
could ever blow itm
See here: l tell you," says Bob, with
a little yell, "we might fit it to the steam
whistle at the mill-'twould wake every
sleeper in the valley, sure"
And how the brass band shriekers
would tear their hairm
A chorus-yell of laughter greets this
prospect
"Capital The very thing! Bob and
I'll look after that Well let her Shrek
at twelve o'clock, to a secondm
"Yes," says Bob, land send stream
of sound down the valley bigger than
Sandy River in spring freshet."
Then various other Fourth of July
festivities are planned-the tar barrel
bonfire on east hill, boat race and
swimming match at Blue Ledge on the
Sandy.
And now about the BELLS" says Tom;
" you'll be at the church on time, Gwin?"
THAT depends. What do you call
on time'?"
Why, midnight, of course"
" Well, | on'tknow, says Gwin, care
lessly, dropping his lids none too soon
over the dancing brown orbs.
He is met by perfect clamor Don't
know" "Why not?"
"Well, don't see the good of a fel.
lows getting up at midnight and pulling
confounded bell-rope till sunrise! I'd
rather sleep"
The boys surge and clamor the more
at this. Anyone else would be Kissed as a
traitor, and tumbled down from the sky
parlor to the basement. But Gwin is a
leader, and no one dares pick up the
gauntlet. And after little the pow-wow
breaks up to the stirring strains of "Hold
the Fort"
At the foot of the hill OWNS path led
away from the others, and the moment
he had turned the corner down sat those
boys in solemn consultation over his
strange freak. The end was vow, TO
be fulfilled before the next dawn.
Gwin sauntered home with a queer
smile curling his lips, anG sparkle of
mischief in his brown eyes. "They'll be
here, of course. / should, myself"
Before going in, he walked around I'M
der the window of his room, and made
certain final mysterious arrangements
and the swaying vines heard something
about ga prodigiOus joker When he
reached his room he tumbled on the
lounge, and had another little talk with
himself.
Rather neatly managed that's fact
Didn't know eohat to think of you, did
they, Gwin Halstead? Well, just wait
a bit, and well enlghten them, won't we,
old fellow" and Gwin chuckled and
shook with suppressed mirth.
Well, they won't be here till after
midnight and | shall be sure to hear
that old fog horn-that and the bells
would wake the very scare-crows! So |
s'pose a fellow may as well turn in for
few hours" Saying which he kicked
his boots off, and across the room,
squirmed out of his clothes, and in two
minutes slept like the night-hush of the