Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-02
Onr Young Folks.
THE GRAND PROFESSION

Inc wcou-shed, gloomilv i;stan;ns -
her Drother Joe. who was talk;no sv;tp ~
much enthusiasm. sAing Win
For l tell you. sir,'' said hat Fla.
lit isn't every boy who'll get . ~ ch hnao,
10 De IN that procession to-night s;r
There III be a thousand torches "a
speeches., and fireworks; and the train
leaves POrters Corner at sir o,o,aat.
and MIR. Hill says to me, .Yon no nn
hand, Joe, you and Jack Stone and
you may go to Portland along Of rho
Continentals" and march each SD
OF the flag, and wear white rubher
capes. and carry torch apiece If Won
like It's to be the biggest show of
the season, and
- can't GO" burst in Elsie. ..Trs.
because I'm girl can never 90 any.
where or see anything"
"Of course not" assented .Joa
cheerfully. "Girls never can. I On
because fathers in Ohio, and I'm TIE
man of the family. / declare Ishouldn't
wonder if half the people in Portland
should think Jack and 1 could vote
when they see US processing. Three
cheers for Hanlieldr'
Hanfeld? Hanfield? That did not
sound quite right. Joe meditated.
Hanfield? Well, never mind. There
was no time to waste over names. IL
Joe would help toward the election OF
President of the United States he
must be off and away for Jack Stone,
or the two would miss the train.
And Elsie? Poor little Elsie was left
forlorn. She was quite alone, for her
mother had gone to visit sick neigh
Dor, and would not even be at home for
tea.
"Oh, why shouldn't girl do Just
what her brother does, and have some
funP' thought Elsie, bitterly. "Or else
why wasn't born boy?" 81.
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 a girl, when the front door burst
open, and in bounced Master Joe.
''Elsie," cried he, grasping her by
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'n know you're not
a boyP-tuck up your skirts-on with
this big cape-comer' 4,
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 Wen 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"
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.
"All right" said Mr.. Hill, too busy
to pay much attention. "Keep with
the rest of the men. How are you, Jack.
my boy?'
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
a back seat.
The Continentals'' 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 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 funp" 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 a blaze of light such as Elsie had
never imagined! Bands were playing,
horses were prancing; some one set hre |
to 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 stars; rockets went up with a |
fizz. gl...
"Hurrah! hurrah! hurrahr' The |
was pausing in front of big |
house. Somebody was making speech. !
Nobody could understand half he said. |
No matter. ''Hurrah! hurrah! hur-
rahr' Elsie shouted with the rest, and |
trotted gaily on.
mo reason in the world shouldn't |
have come, like any other boy! Hur-
rahr'
Up one street and down another, each |
more brilliant than the last, Elsie |
on, till suddenly small, then |
a larger, pain began to make itself felt
in one of her feet.
"It's my new boots" said she to
herself. "Why didn't change them?"
I'll stamp hard and then I shall be
easy. cffC .4 l...
But somehow she was not easy. Up |
Dne street, down another. II was not |
so much the pain in one particular spot |
now as the general ache, not only in |
her foot, but in her whole body.
s'rm afraid I'm growing tired"
She glanced at Joe. That worthy
was in high spirits. and apparently as
.,x,L ,e a,ar E1,;o l,v,,u>aI l,ra Ia, ~,