Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-02
''wHY, OLD MAN, YOU ARE DAY TOO
,t LATE!n

y "2-A Z
''wHY, OLD MAN. YOU ARE A DAY TOO
~ LATE"
dress and broad brimmed hat, stood
waiting for Jerry to bring around the
old chaise which had been in use thirty
years, or more.
Will and Jamie could afford to be
pleasant after the magnificent joke
they had played on her.
Don't scream when the firecrackers
go off, Beth, for people will think you
never saw any before
"Tell us all about everything. Beth,
and be sure to bring US red balloon"
''Oh, don't forget some peanuts
begged Will, sit will be the only Fourth
we will have.'
81 wish you would go, the Fourth is
more for boys than for girls" began
Beth, but Jamie interrupted her: 'You
can tell us all you saw. and that will
be fun for u.s." and he gave Will
nudge.
Beth and grandpa rode off in the high
old chaise, Beth with her pockets filled
with ginger-snaps, while under the seat
was a well-filled lunch basket. She
sang little songs of happiness to the
nodding clover and daisies along the
road as they passed, for day in town
only came once in long time, and be-
sides, this was the Fourth of July,
when all nice things happened. They
lived far from neighbors, and the cut
side world seemed very wonderful to
her, SO she was glad when the long
drive came to an end. and the streets
of the village appeared.
But what deserted look they had!
Tired and sleepy-as though after a
day of pleasure the whole town had
taken resting-spelL Along the road
werc scattered burnt firecrackers and
empty paper bags.
July, isn't it, grandpa?" and Beth
looked very anxious.
Mr. Downs drew in old Whiteface,
and called to a man in store:
"Where does the celebration take
placer
The nan laughed. ''Why. old man,
you are day too late for the Fourth,
we had all that yesterday. Where have
you been, anyway"
Beth gave little gasp and her yell
low curls mingled with grandpa's white
ones as she sobbed on his shoulder.
1.-THE almanac said so," he repeated
over and over, 81 never knew it to be
wrong before. There, little girl, we'll
do something else just as nice, we'll go
=" then. as his eye caught flaming
poster of lion and an elephant in a
deadly conflict, yes, we'll go on to
Paxton and see the menagerie, it shows
there to-day; that will be a great deal
better than a lot of noisy firecrackers.' -
L Ia
| splendid! wish Will and Jamie were
| here. We never any of us saw a really,
| truly lion in our lives"
Old Whiteface was put into stable
for the day, and grandpa and Beth
boarded train for Paxton. What a
wonderful, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS day it
was for her. The crowds of people,
the band of music, and cage after cage
/ of new and strange animals She chung
close to grandpa when the lion shook
his yellow name and gave frightful
roar. and when the elephant waved his
long trunk high in the air, and clapped
her hands with delight at the antics OF
the monkeys.
"lt would be just perfect if the boys
were here. 1 am so glad, grandpa, that
| we lost the Fourth
Win and jamie spent a restless day.
An uneasy conscience is never a com
Portable companion, and their magnifi.
cent joke looked almost like false.
hood to them. and to do anything to
| make their little sister shed tears was
not manly, look at it in any light they
might They had to watch their chance
to replace the almanac, and their laugh
at the thought of how mystified grand
pa would be when he came to consult
| it again was faint one
They were at the gate, one on each
post, to watch for old Whiteface, and
when she was seen swinging up the
road they called out:
''Ten us all about it, Beth Did yor
scream at the firecrackers? Where art
the peanuts? DID you see all the cele
bration?"
The fun of their joke had all re
turned, and they kicked their heel.
with delight
II didn't see any firecrackers," an
swered Beth, but, boys, the lion wa.
splendid! I heard him roar, and tn,
monkeys were SO cunning!'
i Will and Jamie looked at each other
What did she mean? Where was Their,
any lion?
Wasn't it queer? The almanac ,oa
wrong. and we lost the Fourth, 8,
grandpa took me to Paxton to see tn,