The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-06-27

the people. The King Of England son,
the soldiers here and he would not
take them away for he had sent them
TO make the Americans do rs lie wished.
The people kept growing more angry
and at last they could stand IL no long,
err. but they were not strong enough to
drive the soldiers away.
Didn't they have any guns to shoot
the soldiers. papa? asked Georgy.
mot many. and they had not much
money to buy any ammunition. neither
had they been drilled as the British sol
dicrs were. 50 altogether they hardly
knew what TO do"
Would fifty cents buy agun. papa?'
askci Georgy, looking at his silver
piece
What little goose you arc" said
impatient Harry. do go ON, papa.
What did tho 'Mericans do?'
The men formed companies and
raised money TO buy arms They had TO
drill at night of in the country. They
hid their guns and swords in the day.
time SO the soldiers could not find
them.
II know about that" cried Harry.
''Thc soldiers found out that the .Meri-
cans had hid whole lot Of guns and
powder and they went after these But
the 'Mericans hurried up and hid be-
hind fences and trees and fired off their
guns and made the redcoats run. Wasn't
that jolly! Hurrah for the 'Mericans."
..Hurrah!' shouted Georgy. THAT
was the Fourth o July. wasn't 1t.
paps?'
M, not yet. The people we're de-
lighted shen they knew they could
beat the redcoats, but the English King
was furiously angry. He sent more
cross messages and disagreeablc orders
and shiploads of soldiers. The people
held great meetings in every part OF
the country 10 see what could be done.
From these meetings the wisest men
were sent to Philadelphia. There tho
troubles we're talked over in Congress.
until ut last these men decided to send
word to the tyrannical King that they
would have nothing more to do with
him. They would make their own laws
and have their own soldiers and do as
the people thought best II he insisted
on ordering them as he pleased. they
would fight all the soldiers he would
send against them. A long letter was
written with all this in to send to Eng
land. This was called the Declaration
OF independence. The chief men OF the
country signed it. and when this was
done all the bells in the stccp'es rang
loud and long. the cannons we're fired.
tho bands played and the great crowds
Of excited people cheered."
'.And that was the Fourth o. july"
said Harry.
That was the first Independence
Day in America Since then all good
Americans like to show that they re-
member tho barve men who were not
afraid Of al angry king and his armies.
but were determined TO make their
country Free
.'And then did tho boys buy fire.
- eNS0OIo 0HA NiA txIO pdtISno W. CICHl
fifty centso' asked Gcorgy.
NO. Boys did not have such good
time then. The papas and big brothers
had 10 march off and fight for nine
long years, more years than either OF
you have lived. Many OF them never
came home again, but died on the bat
tlefcld. There was so little money to
spare from the war that the boys often
had to 60 hungry, and when tho cold
winters came they had no fires to warm
them. Their clothes were ragged and
their shoes full of holes. but the soldiers
wore too brave to give up their liberty.
At last King George was obliged TO call
all his soldiers back 10 England and to
promise to let the Americans alone
Then every body had a fine Fourth Of
July. and every year since the day has
been celebrated in remembrance OF
those brave people of the Revolution.
Albany IN. - Argus.