Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-08-27
FOR OUR YOUNG PEptN
lNFORMATIONA AND AMUSEMENT
FOR THE YOUNG.
The Burton Boys Cannon--Rose.
Leaf Butterflies--A Good Word
for the College Boys--Jack
and the Circus.
The Burton B-ys' Cannon.

|
"Lucky stars! What a hnd!' cried
Edwin.
81 declare! It's a rihe-barrel, said
John.
And Willie and Lucius forgot their
search for Indian arrow-headS. which
they sometimes found on this worn
old gravely roadside, and hurried to
have a look at the treasure.
"Just see the rust!" SAID John. "It
may have laid there fifty years."
81 s'pose this WAS all thick woods
them" said Edwin.
"And likely some man had this to
fight the lnjuns," said Lucius.
cor bears, said Willie. "NIorelike-
ly BEARS"
Look how the barrels bent and
twisted" said John.
''That's where he clubbed his rifle
and whacked the old Iniun over the
head" said Lucius.
''That's where the bear grabbed it
away from him." said Willie. "And
do believe there's the mark of
his teeth right there near the muzzle."
AT this the older brother hooted
and laughed, and said that the bear
must have had his teeth sharpened,
and they guessed he ate up the rest of
the gun, and that was why noth:n +.
could be found but the barrel.
Willie did not like any too well to
| l, l., hut l.. l. 1
and rs soon as he could make himself
heard, he cried, 80 boys, I've got the
greatest idea! Let's make u cannon
out OF this for the Fourth"
Now, Willie, you've struck it," said
John.
That's So" said Lucius, "but
how'll we fix the thing?"
"Ill tell you," salt! Edwin. Just
come along to Fet Wheaton's black
smith shop, and he'll do it up for us
in grand shape:
"Father won't mind, will he?" ask
ed Willie.
Course not, if we pay out of
our own Fourth ofJuly money" said
John.
"It'll be ten times better than crack
ers," said Edwin. Come on, bows"
So away they rushed to the good
natured, curl y-headed blacksmith,
who sawed off the straight part of the
barrel, fitted q new breech-pin, bored
q touchhole, and wouldn' take cent.
On the evening OF July third the
boys had quite an exciting time mount
ing and loading their cannon. Father
Burton had not a word to say against
the fun.
He dealt out the powder and watch
ed the whole process, and when he saw
the amount OF brick they rammed in
to help make q noise, he remarked
that he guessed they were "loading for
bar, sure enough!'
Mother looked rather anxious, but
after all she was sure father would see
that twas safe And so he did-after
his own fashion
When all was ready there was quite
q discussion as to who should touch it
off next morning
John thought he ought to, because
he was Oldest Willie claimed the
right, because he thought OF the plan.
Edwin was equally firm, because he
found the ritle-barrel. And Lucius
thought they had better trust him,
because his legs were longest and he
could get out Of the way quick il it
didn't work right.
Finally it was agreed that it should
be whoever was on the ground first in
the morning.
And Willie resolved at once not to
sleep q wink all night. John made up
his mind that he could rouse when old
Cock-a-doodle first crowed. Edwin
thought he could be sure to hear the
clock strike three While Lucius knew
he should waken if either OF the others
stirred, and relied on his long legs to
take him out ahead.
But how boys do sleep! Not one of
them heard Il sound after the clock
struck nine until-Boom! CRASH! All
their wonderful dreams were scat
tered into broad daylight, and they
jerked their clothes on and gathered in
the back yard almost before the smoke
cleared away.
Mother was laughing to herself in
bed. Father was laughing and shout
ing from the kitchen window. But
where was the cannon?
"Just blown to nowheren' said John.
LUCKY stars!' cried Edwin; "but
it's a good thing weboys weren' hang.
ing around when it wentn'
Companion.
Rose-Leaf Butterflies.
ave want to be butterflies, cried
the rose leaves. 1--WE are tired of