The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-06-28

"Bosh!" exclaimed Swingleton. Wash
ington was a large owner Of real estate"
II beg your pardon, sir, but can show 1t
to you; it's in the Farewell Address, in
the back Of our his try book"
Hang your history book and the banners,
too" growled Swingleton, addressing him.
self seriously to business. You go over to
Truegate's right away, and tell him that If
he don't pay his interest and that overdue
installment on the principal this very
morning I'll foreclose on him And when
you come back you sit outside the door if
you've got to rattle over that gibberish
about the morning of mornings and
'unfurl every banner"
''Yes, sir" said the boy. timidly, and hur-
ried away on his Grand Swingleton ap-
piled himself vigorously to his ciphering,
but somehow the figures did not come right,
and he abruptly tore his paper to bits and
began to pace the Office floor, muttering to
himself.
"Confound these foreigners! One would
suppose the country was made expressly
for them by the way they take hold of it
The idea Of a little rascal like Dennis telling
me what George Washington wrote-and
worse yet, he was right about it, really do
believe. Gods own country'-'we've all
got a chance'-that's more of their nom
sense. Come to think of it, though, it's all
true. wonder if somebody won't have a
banner with one mans as good as another
on it? It's true as gospel; if it wasn't I'd
be a poor farmer to this day instead of the
head of big real estate improvement
company"
For several minutes Swingleton held his
peace, but continued to pace the floor.
Then he burst into speech again
"All those common folks are going to
have a regular jubilee on the Fourth, 1 sup
pose. 1t isn't bad enough that a business
mans peace of mind is to be disturbed all
day long by fire-crackers and pistols, and
all sorts of Internal popping noises, but
they're to have singing, and cheering, and
ike enough brass band, at sunrise on the
green-right in front OF my house 1 was
going to spend the Fourth in finding out
how much money I'm ahead by this
Cliff Edge speculation; it's the only free
day I'll have until Thanksgiving comes.
But If I'm to be woke up at sunrise won't
have any sort of head for figures Confound
patriotism, any way; we had enough of it
in the time of the war to last any man a life
time. 1t cost me enough, goodness knows:
was drafted, had to hire substitute. and
pay bigger taxes besides To be sure. got
IN on a MISUNDERSTANDING contract tnaU set me
up in business, but"
Swingleton went abruptly back to his
desk and tried to resume his figuring, but
his pencil seemed wholly depraved; and he
finally threw it on the floor and continued
as follows:
What was that the Bible said about the
heather coming to the light while the chill
dren of the kingdom were cast into outer
n lt 70 DOL
OF the sort would come to pass in this coun-
try. Here's all the foreigners and other
nobodies in this village going to celebrate
the Fourth, Just as if the country was theirs,
as in one sense it is, while I, the richest and
most influential man in the town, am left
out in the cold Come to think of it, l
remember something about being asked
by letter to participate or contrib
ute, or something, and pitching it
into the waste basket 1 suppose they
thought was hog-confound them!-but
what was l? The country's as much to me
as to any body else. but how am going to
make fuss about it without letting bust
ness suffer? A man can't afford to neglect
his business for every confounded senti-
ment that comes along-he'd never make
any money if he did When do any of our
great money kings say any thing about
patriotism l should like to know. or make
a Fourth of July speech? Its only editors,
politicians and poor men who do that sort
of thing"
More protest and self-examinaion fol-
lowed; when Dennis returned in the course
of half an hour. the autocrat of Cliff Edge
had both elbows on his desk and his broad
chin. usually quite equal to the task of
caring for itself, was supported by two
hands. His face was so unlike its usual self
that the boy was astonished, though not so
greatly as when a moment afterward
Swingleton said:
What were you going to show me in
your school history"
Why. twas the Declaration, sir, an the
Farewell Address, an"
''All right-go and fetch the book"
Away went little Dennis, returning soon
with the book open n two places couple
OF dirty fingers serving as book-marks.
Here they are. sir" said the boy, land l
can just show you what parts told you
about"
I'll take your word for them. my boy"
said Swingleton Il think, though, I'll read
the documents through, SO as to get the
Sc nse of the quotations better"
Il can save We trouble, sir. if We like"
said Dennis. for 1 know both of 'em by
heart an say 'em off as easy as me prayers"
You do:" exclaimed Swingleton, with
such emphasis and with face so solemn
that the boy seemed half inclined to admit
that he had done something wrong. You
do:" the man repeated, putting his hand
into his pocket. Then here's a dollar
for you to spend for fire-crackers on the
Fourth There's nothing else in the book
to which you'd call my attention, is there?"
If you please, sir, l can show you the
picture of all of 'em a-signin' the Declare
ton dad says it's grand sight, cause
twas such plucky piece of business Here
they are; there's jefferson, and that one
that's barefooted all over his head is
Franklin. an'-oh. yes. here's picture of
John Rancock's signature-that's the kind
of wrftin' I'm a-goin' to practice on till
get IL"
limits a handsomer signature than
mine, isn't it:''
Il amt sayin' it's any better, sir" said
the boy, timidly; ''but-hut it looks as if it
meant lots more"
Very well; now go ahead at committing
your Fourth of July song to memory; you
may sing it, too, if you want to, or whistle
it"
So sudden and great acquisition Of liberty
was more than the boy could comprehend
in an instant. SO went outside and turned
two handsprings TO assist him As for John
Swingleton, he slowly read and reread the
two old writings which long before he had