The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-28

There was one cloud nearly white, wit
deep red borders and rosy center, O
the blue patch that had been so brigh
Through the day.
/ 'sSee, it's put on red, white and blue!
call Henry Carter, and all the children
rsuhed to see.
.Thusie,n said her mother, as she drey
her little girl who was racing along wit
the others towards her, 81 am going HON
now to put Grace to bed, and when yov
get ready you run right along up to Uncl
Johns. Aunt Fanny went an hour age
she was so tired.
| Thusie's heart gave naughty littl
leap. Was anything ever so convenient
Merry groups were already getting eth
best places for good view. She knew
it must be time to be at the meeting
place under the big oak. Away she raj
with rapid footsteps and was soon unde
its shelter. She was the first one there
but in minute Sarah Jones and Tidy
Thompson rushed up and threw their arm:
a. ound her; then Lucia came-all there
but Frasie.
"Why don't she come, the sturic
thing" fretted Ssrah. There's old Joe
crossing the Green, now; we can't wai1
for her any longer" .--
That moment Frasie, painting ano
frightened, hurried up and was pulled
into their shelter.
"What made you so late" demanded
Sarah.
"Oh! I couldn't help it, " painted Frasie.
Il had to run every step OF the way. My
little brother Teddy and cousin Augusta
would come, and old fat Mrs. Brown
wanted me to get her chair, and then I
tumble6 down and
"Well, never mind" said Sarah, "you're
here now, at last Come, girls now for
itm And with many whisper and giggle
they stole along under cover Of the dark
ness after old Joe who was laundering
up the stairs, making SO much racket
himself that he could not hear anything
else.
"Oh, mercyr' whispered Sarah, 81 ran
nv head into horrid cobweb and it's all
in my eyes"
Ssh Sh!' and on they sped lightly.
"Frasie Newcomb, you shan't scream,
so there" A big mouse, unaccustomed
to such Interruptions, had tfounced across
the floor right across the children's feet.
Clang--cIang! clingity--clang! How
queer the old bell sounded up there.
Joe they could see above them as his
figure swayed back and forth, and they
wondered how he could possibly get up
there upon the rickety little ladder.
Wasn't it delightful, though, up in this
dim forbidden spot-all shadowy hooks
and mysterious recesses-lighted weirdly
by the lurid glare from the frework stand
outside. How queer all the people look
ed moving down on the green.
There's Miss Priscilla Bascom," an
nounced Tidy with soft giggle. CANT
she funny? My! look at her nose it's a
yard longr:
Eyes but O, see what they're doing
there" whispered Sarah excitedly.
'Where? where?" said Frasie, trying
to see.
20, Frasie! YOU push bad as the folks
on the Green" grumbled Sarah, not
moving in the least to accommodate.
Just then a most dismal noise sounded
close which made them all jump and
stare in each others faces in fright.
"Oh, what was that?" whispered Lucia,
grasping Thusie's arm.
Sarah's black eyes began to protrude a
little, but she said nothing.
Hush! Another awful noise that
seemed to the frightened girls like thun-
der; something ran and pounced into a
dark corner. They didn't wait to see
what it was; they sped and tumbled over
each other to get to the landing below.
Thusle's lovely blue sash was grasped by
sarah's sticky fingers, which had been
greedily and slyly diminishing the peck
etful of candy in the darkness above.
"Wellv' gasped Sarah, when at last
they reached the foot of the stairs, 81
don't see what there is to be frightened
all"
"What-did you-come for then?'
choked Thusie, who had scrambled sc
she could hardly breathe, let alone talk
"Why, I didn't till you all started
snapped Sarah. "But never mind, here's
splendid place to see!" and she
ensconced herself at once in the best cor
nor of the big, square front window. II
was very dirty, being covered with dust
and Crime, not exactly the place that
careful mothers would have selected fol
the holiday dresses of their children.
The grand show of the evening now
began. The girls held their breath as
they watched entranced in the dirty old
window, crouching together very uncom.
fo1tably, trying hard to think they were
having nice time. And o.! was sc
warm and sitting. ...
~"Phew! How close it is! Do open the
window, Sarah!' gasped little Frasie at
last.
But it wouldn't open.
II wish we had staid out on the green,
walled Tidy.
Suddenly Sarah screamed.
"Why, as sure as you're alive, they're
going round to the side of the church
girls, with that splendid wheel Of liberty
0, hurry, hurry, hurry!'' and she began
to scramble down and pick her way ove1
the rickety landing to the belfry stairs.
"Wait!" called out Frasie; but Sarah
sped on. They could scarcely see hel
ahead. They had all they could do to
follow her, and Thusie, being last an6
catching her dress on rusty nail by the
unlucky hole she had acquired in the
early part. of the day, had to stop out