Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-27

to write out for him in full copy of the
song which the boy had labored so hard to
memorize, and that he had learned, evil
IDENTIFY by listening to his Office boy, to
whistle and hum the music.
HE don't catch on to it quite right yet"
Dennis explained to his parent, but reck-
on it's cause his pipes is rusty; amt never
heerd him whistle and sing before in all the
time I've been with him."
The Nations birthday anniversary
dawned at last Thanks to free fre-crack-
ers distributed the day before among the
small boys, every denizen of the village
was awake in time to be present at the
patriotic ceremonies. There new sur
prise awaited them, for in front of the little
platform near the flagstaff was grouped
brass band, VIII CHI Swingleton had in some
way got out from the city. After the pro-
cession of school children arrived the flag
was hoisted in military fashion by sedate
yillager who had been a soldier As it
reached the top and was broke free"
from the halyards the band played the
Star Spangled Banner" followed by all
the other National airs. John Swingleton
suddenly rubbed the lower part of his fore
head as If he had forgotten something; he
did it for two or three minutes, the greater
part of his hand covering his eyes. Then
came a PRAYER followed by the Declaration
of Independence, read by the village school
master. Swingleton looked, while he
listened, as if he feared a word might get
lost somehow, but the instant the last
word of the grand finale dropped from the
readers lips Swingleton added to the pro-
gramme by shouting:
Three cheers for the Declaration"
The audience, although surprised, re-
sponded handsomely. Then all the chorus
of children stood up on the platform from
which the Declaration had been read; little
Dennis, in his Sunday clothes edged his
way to the rail and looked anxiously about
as if he were responsible for more than his
own share of the coming performance. He
finally beckoned to his employer, and when
Swingleton approached the platform the
little fellow leaned forward and whispered
loudly enough for every one to hear:
''Kape close to me, Mr.. Swingleton, an
I'll help you along wild the music"
Every body laughed-no one could help
it. and for the first time in their lives they
saw the founder of the village disconnected;
nevertheless little Dennis Injunction was
obeyed, and the great man faced all his
tenants and debtors and joined the chill
dren in their song. His voice was about as
melodious as a frozen pumpkin rolling over
barn floor. but there was great deal of
it. and it distributed sharps and fats in a
manner which seemed quite a revelation
to the master of the city band who had
heard a great deal of that sort of thing
during his professional career.
Then there was buzz of expectancy,
stir on the platform; the master Of cere-
monies came forward, followed by Swim
gleton and said:
Ladies andgentlemen, our distinguished
fellow-townsman, John Swfngleton, Es-
quire, will now favor US with an address"
The chairman fell back Swingleton came
to the front, and little Dennis, pushing
through the crowd, leaned an elbow on the
rail put his chin in his hand and opened
his mouth and eyes very wide, so that moth
ing should escape him
My friends said Swingleton, what
have to say is too little and too simple to
deserve the name of an address. I only
want to warn you that we, as people are
not half grateful enough for the blessings
we enjoy-blessings such as have never
come to any other nation on the face 81 the
earth. We've got q splendid country, no
strong or ugly neighbors to be afraid of.
nor any enemies but those that through our
own carelessness we breed among our
selves. It's against this carelessness that
want to warn you I'm the right man to
do it for I'm the most guilty in that re-
gard Our great National holiday has for
years been to me nothing but day in
which business was suspended and / could
take q day of rest or for special work
I've often regarded it as more a nuisance
than any thing else All the great MEM
cries and meanings Of the day have been
as little to me, for many years. as if they
belonged to a dead ard gone land 1 be-
heve most of the men and women in the
Nation are about as bad in this respect as 1,
and 1 want to say to you that it's in this lack
OF heart and patriotic impulse, this alb
sence of the pride we ought to have in
what God has intrusted to us, that all po
litical plotters and thieves Of high and low
degree find their opportunity. The worst
enemies a land ever had were those it
reared at home, and we have been rearing
hundreds of thousands Of that kind l for
one am going to reform and beg all Of You