The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-01

arm and disappeared round a clump Of
hlaes, with musical, ringing. little laugh.
that told OF her keen appreciation II the
fun, and my dire discontinue
What volumes % love letters 1 vyre-a Il,
and from myself-on the side Of Pete. poor
fellow, who never suspected, and in S-esrsnus,
TO the passionate Fossett's Al the Will a
found myself getting more entanele4 in
the InesheS OF the web this rustic beauty
wound about me.
Talk about the worlds masters u dlplo-
macy, there Is more subtle art ana power in
girl just out than any ever possessed tv
the TaIeyrands and Metternichs Of history.
To see through one, and yet remain unseen:
TO be cool collected and shrewd IN the hot
test contests. to win through inlmitable tact
the subject dealt with, and make the " .s,.st
man play the food, give me woman as she
comes from the hands Of nature.
With an the advantage I possessed OF
Polly's confdeuce, l failed to make any
progress, and was kept at a certain distance
that always seemed to be about closing and
never closed
Ny friend Pete seemed satisfied with my
love letters written him through Polly. ard
often brought them to me for better in
depreciation Of their meaning. as well as an
swer did not want the pretty Polly TO
Tarry either. was in love with her. in a
certain fashion, and feared Fossett more
tan Pete; 50 trying a little diplomacy in
my part, l threw cold water on Andrew J
While ! encouraged Pete
The time came for the celebration of the
Fourth, and great was the preparation there
of. All the farmers far and neat agreed to
fetch provisions, which meant an unlimited
supply of chicken fixins pies and cakes.
heavy enough to give officiating Indian Dig
gers a dreadful indicesti Ion An old smooth
bore, said 10 have seen service in the war of
-, was borrowed and a gun squad orzan-
lied, withthe aged Choptank for CAPTAIN. ana
it was much surmised that if the ancient
Choptank, who ''ft under Perry, could re-
main sober until after the salute of thirtecn
guns the salute would be success. Other
wise it was surmised there would bc casual
ties, and some peoples arms and legs would
be sacrificed to the old smooth-bore and the
Fourth. \ brass band OF six discorci1ut
pieces from Fountain had volunteered. and
gave assurances they would play the star
Spangled Banner Hail. Columbia~ and
Yankee Doodle" SO as TO distinguish one
from the other. A moral Snowman was
licensed to exhibit his natural curiosities ~
which consisted of a fat woman and ana
condas, the skeleton man and a bottled pic
possessed of two heads and an assortment of
tails.
Such Fourth had never before been cells
brated in the valley. aud probably never
win be again
Unfortunately. within "A week OF the great
occasion the eloquent orator of the day,
Andrew jackson FoSsett was taken down
with a violent attack of the quinsy He
could not speak above a whisper, and could
not swallow at all OF course he had t. be
eliminated from the proceedings, 1t was too
late to engage another 10 one of us. ON
such short notice would undertake the duty.
Now a Fourth without an orator was liam
let without Hamlet, King Queen, Ophelia
or even Yorick's skull
To the amazement of every one. suddenly
Peter Pepperton volunteered. 1t was Hob
sons choice, and Pete was accepted.
''Do you want me to help your" / asked
NO, Donk. Got a better layout Than
that. Keep you're off eye on me. I'm goin'
to git her this time or break a trace. Stay
in the high grass till ye hear me yell, then
tumble out an see big lngin."
The Fourth came, big with the fate Of
Peter and his love Assembled in WhoppIes
grove the farmers and farmers wives and
children, gotten up in their store clothes,
perspired in profusion while listening to the
six pieces of a brass band, that made up in
blowing all they lacked in music. Captain
Choptank with his gun squad and old
smooth-bore, at intervals stan tied the jays
and our assembly with mOuthing roar that
told in thunder of the glorious struggle Of
our fathers for independepce. The vener-
able Choptank was very drink, even at that
early hour, but he seemed quite as efficient
drunk as sober.
The Rev. Doolittle Stubbs opened tho
ceremonies with am eloquent address to the
Throne of Grace" Then followed the read
ing of that elegant composition from the
pen of the immortal jefferson, called the
Declaration of Independence, and then
Peter came to the front, in gorgeous ap-
parel and high state Of perspiration. As
suming a bold, pugilistic position, peculiar
to Fourth Of July orators he paused before
giving the British lion one in the counte-
nance to take Us into his confidence, by say
ing: 'Feller-citzens, ladies and gentle
men, His opening sentence was lest in
old Chootauk's roar from the smooth bore.
When the noise had subsided, discovered
that Pete had launched the ship of state.
The S. Of S. Is always launched in Fourth
Of July oration. II has rough weather. of
course. The clouds darken, the thunder
rolls, the mountain waves mount to the
skies. But there is a hand at the helm. and
he steers the bark, laden with the hopes Of
humanity. safely to its harbor This intro
1uces Washington, and Washington is
Moses, a =tar, mountain peak and god
Washington, of course, lets fly the Amer
can eagle. Pete flew the eagle for all it
Yves worth. He had one wing on the Ais
Zhanies, the other ON the Rockies, while the
tail o'ershadowed the Canadas-and while
screaming and soaring in the most terrible
manner the British lion was seen in flll
retreat across the stormy seas, quite SICK,
and fearfully demoralized-
Pete was acquitting himself with rare ex-
ceIence. He had suddenly broken out like
an Indian war in fun bloom as a great
orator. 1 never had heard such volume
of sounds, never such a collection Of many
syIlabled words. The audience applauded
every sentence. and Choptank's cannon
roared in response.
In the midst Of this the sick Andrew J.
Fossett appeared, and was helped kindly to d
seat. His neck was done up in huge poultice
and his face was pale as death. Suddenly
the sick man staggered to his feet His face
reddened to the tint Of a boiled lobster and
his eyes glared with the gleam Of Q maniac
He could only utter shrieks. while he ges-
ticulated like windmill struck BY a cyclone.
He was deIrious, all thought, and kind.
but strong arms carried him away. while
Pete in his peroration had Columbia scar
ing and tyranny sinking in the dark vortex
Of coming time. Upward and onward :.
cried Pete. '.the star Of liberty gieamin
with dazziin' refulgence, in her crown Of
glory. casting its lightning ray, adown
the coming centuries OF untold time, re-
Earring. refeeting, ad fREHifUm, onward
and upward forever E pturiblts uHuar'
Pete close1 The audience shouted The
women waved handkereaiefs, the men cot
ton umbrellas Choptank fired his last
charge, and the band struck up-blane me
e know what it struck up but it was a
noise, to which the assembly scattered, and
saw Pete, with Polly upon his arm, march
1fT to the collation.. with her sweet face
beanling in love and triumph.
Two weeks thereafter they we're mar
RED
AndreyS Jacls.n Fessett was very Ill for a
month thereafter. When eonvalescent be
sank into a profound gloom. as if his life
were blighte1 He proved this by throwing
up his profession and becoming that elegant