Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-06-28
PROGRAMME FOR FOURTH OF JULY

OF FIREWORKS ny /:
I: PRoP. JACK HARRINGTON,
|: WITH THE KIND ASSISTANCE OF
{: Mr.. NEDWARD ROBBINS.
FINHIs. !:
/. Hero scroll work and fancy designs utterly !:
beyond my powers OF description. !:
'.'''''.
This programme was looked upon as
triumph OF art by Jack and the five
kindred spirits who constituted 1.-THE
gang" and many were the hours spent
upon it.
Every thing progressed finely, and
the night before the Fourth all plans
were perfected. purchases made, and
the fire-crackers and fireworks reposcd
calmly in the sugar-house. Not so,
however. Jack in his bed; he had been
persuaded to retire early in view OF the
next days festivities, but he was far
too excited to sleep; all sorts Of visions
fitted before his eyes, and danced
through his brain.
At last it occurred to him that he had
not locked the door Of the sugar-house.
What il tramps should get in and steal
his precious treasures!
The thought was intolerable. and the
more he dwelt upon it the more certain
he became that unless that door was
locked not fire-cracker would remain
to cheer his eyes in the morning. So,
slipping out Of bed, he put on his stock
ings. trousers and jacket, and, taking
his shoes in his hand, crept softly down
the back stairs and out Of the kitchen
door. Norah was out, and no one saw
or heard him. The crescent moon was
setting in the west, ,and the stars shone
calmly down, giving every promise OF
bright tomorrow.
To reach the sugar-house, which was
not far beyond the barn, and lock the
door was the work Of but few mo-
ments; then Jack turned to go back,
when his foot slipped on rolling stone
and over he fell. When he tried to get
up cry OF pain escaped him, and he
found that he could not take step.
Here's pretty state of things!' he
said aloud, lapsing unconsciously into
the language Of Koko. What's fell
low to do?"
He knew that the barn had been
locked long ago and that William, the
man, had gone home so there would be
no help from that quarter. There was
nothing to do but get himself home as
best he could-a slow and very painful
process which it took some time to &C.
complish.
He reached the house just as the
lights were about to be put out and the
doors locked for the night. His moth
er's surprise and terror when Jack
crawled upon the piazza and she saw
his white face can better be imagined
than described.
Mr.. Harrington carried Jack upstairs
while Uncle Ned hurried of for the doc
tor; and while his mother was cutting
the stocking from the badly swollen
ankle and getting the foot into hot wa
ter he told her how it happened.
''It will be all right in the morning,
won't it, mother?' he asked so anxious
ly that Mrs Harrington hadn't the
heart to tell him that she feared 1t
would be many mornings before he
could use it.
"a pretty bad sprain," DIR. Rogers
said. half an hour later, and he ordered
the ankle kept in hot water for an hour
and then bandaged with hot COM
presses.
Jack finally fell asleep with his
mothers hand smoothing his hair, and
all night dreamed OF fire-crackers and
big red letters, which seemed to be
alive and possessed Of legs, dancing the
widest kind OF jigs in the orchard
while he himself was going up like
rocket only to be pulled down by Dick
Torreys seizing hold OF his ankle with
such grip that he awoke, calling out
''Stop that, old fellowe'
The sunlight was streaming into his
room, and he heard soft whistle under
his window; he started up, remember
ing what day it was, and thinking thai
he was late for the ''Serenade," but
twinge in his ankle reminded him O
last nights experience, and he sank
back on his pillow, buried his face un'
der the sheet, and-will you think any
the less of him II tell you Of it?-yes
actually cried. But no one knows Of il
to this day but you and me, for Jacl
scorned tears, and had been heard Il
say only the day before. when Emily
had had some slight disappointment
that ''only girls and babies cried"
So he dried his eyes very quickl,
when he heard his mothers step, ant
swallowed the big lump in his throat
and said, in an off-hand way, when sh'
came into the room: Il guess I'm N TO
it. You'd better tell the fellowS'-toI
the soft whistles had grown by thi
time into loud calls Of "Wake up
sleepy-headI7 Hurry up, lazY-bOnes!