Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-03
Our Young Folks.
an aRANn PROcRssInN.

tHe WvVA-1ueuf HlOOmuy listening TO
her brother Joe, who was talking with
much enthusiasm.
For / tell you, sir. p" said he to Elsie,
"it isn't every boy who'll get a chance
70 be in that procession tonight, sir.
There'll be a thousand torches, and
speeches, and fireworks; and the train
leaves Porter Corner at six o'clock;
and Mr. Hill says 10 me, You be on
hand, Joe, you and Jack Stone, and
you may 20 TO Portland along Of the
COntinentals" and march each side
Of the flag, and wear white rubber
capes, and carry torch apiece II you
like It's to be the biggest show Of
the season, and"
81 can't 60" burst in Elsie. Z" Just
because I'm q girl I can never 90 any
where or see anything
"Ot course not" assented Joe.
cheerfully. "Girls never can. I 90
because fathers in Ohio. and I'm the
man Of the family. / declare shouldn't
wonder If half the people IN Portland
should think JACK and | could vote
when they see US processing. Three
cheers for HanGeldr'
Hanfeld? Hanfeld? That did not
sound quite right. Joe meditated.
Hantield? Well, never mind. There
was no time to waste over names. If
Joe would help toward the election OF
a President Of the United States he
must be of and away for Jack Stone,
or the two would miss the train.
And ElsieP Poor little Elsie was left
fOr!Orn. She was quite alone. for her
mother had gone to visit a sick neigh
Dor, and would not even be at home for
tea.
"Oh, lChy shouldn't a girl do Just
what her brother does, and have some
funP' thought Elsie, bitterly. "Or else
why wasn't ] born q bOv?'
She sat close to the andirons in front
OF the wood fire, and more and more
dismal did she grow. She had nearly
come to wondering whether it was real
ly worth while to live if one had to be
only girl, when the front door burst
open, and in bounced Master Joe.
'Elsie," cried he, grasping her bv
the arm, 'here's your chance. You can
60"
''Gop go?' repeated Elsie, flushing
crimson with excitement.
Joe hurried on. Jack Stones sick.
Earache-bOth ears-onions on 'em-
here's his cap-whO'l know you're not
q boy?-tuck up your skirts-on with
this big cape-cOmen'
Elsie was beside herself. Mother
wouldn't let me, - she half gasped.
'Did she ever say. you mustn't?' ar
gued Joe. Like as not we'll be back
| before she is. Don't be a goose.
There's no time to talk. Hurry! hur-
ry! You won't get such another
chance
Her eyes flashing, her brain in a
whirl, Elsie pulled the blue cap over
her short curls. Her little petticoats
were quickly pinned mp and covered by
the rubber cape. With her unlighted
torch over her shoulder, who would not
have thought her a sturdy Younger
| brother of the boy who held her tightly
by the hand, and exhorted her not to
let the grass grow under her feet.
Down the road they flew, and reached
the station just as the Continentals'
came marching up with fife and drum,
"Here we are, Mr.. Hill, said Joe.
presenting himself and his companion.
GAN right" said Mr.. Hill, too busy
to pay much attention. keep with
the rest of the men. How are you, Jack,
my boyP"
There was no time for the make
| believe Jack, my boy" TO answer.
The engine was putting and painting.
Elsie was swung on the train, where
Joe and she tucked themselves away on
back seat
The COntinentalsn were in the best
of humOr, so were the "Philbrick Pho
neers," who, gorgeous in their Zouave
regimentals, came crowding into the
car at the next station. to crack Jokes
and talk politics. Pretty soon the train
stopped with jerk, and everybody was
out in a twinkling.
There were shouts of command. The
| ''Continentals'' and " Pioneers fell into
line. Torches were lit. A host of boys
set mp shrill yells. Joe and Elsie were
twitched into place by energetic Mr..
Hill, and ordered to hold up their heads
and keep time to the music.
"Isn't it fun?n thought Elsie, step
ping briskly along, and grasping her
torch with both hands.
If one hundred torches were /" fun
what could be said when they reached
| Market Square, where the grand pro-
cession was to form, and where there
was q blaze of light such as Elsie had
never imagined! Bands were playing,
horses were prancing; some one set fire
to a sort of powder, and 10! the whole
| street was rosy red.
Now everything was ready and the
march began. Whole blocks on each
side were festooned with bunting and
Chinese lanterns; candles twinkled in
every pane; all the gas burners did
their best; Roman candles shot out
colored starsi rockets went up with a
fizz.
" Hurrahl hurrah! hurrahp' The
procession was pausing in front of a big
house. Somebody was making a speech.
Nobody could understand half he said.
/ No matter. tHurrahl hurrah! hur-
rahr' Elsie shouted with the rest, and
trotted gaily on. ..-...
"No reason in the world l shouldn
have come, like any other boy! Hur-
rahr'
Up one street and down another, each
more brilliant than the last, Elsie
marched on, till suddenly a small, then
a larger, pain began to make itself felt
in one of her feet
"It's my new boots,n said she to
herself. "Why didn't change themP'
I'll stamp hard and then shall be
easy .-. -.- ..
But somehow she was not easy. Up
one street, down another, 1t was not