Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-27

I
cid features and procedure of such affairs be
fore the war. and all of this Clay had beer
| ooiiSed to get in detail from Leatherton and re
peat to the officers, prompting them again ant
| again on the eventual day. Whenever he hat
| a moment or two to himself there was some
passage of the Declaration Of Independence Il
| turn over in his mind and mutter under hi
| breath, to be sure that he had the proper ides
as to the infections, for he had learned that the
| reader to whom the old man had alluded a,
having got by heart the historic paper be-
fore reading it was no other than old Purley
himself. Clay almost wished, in his anxiety and
excitement, that those old rebels of '76 had
been paciied somehow by George III and be-
| come good royalists again, so that the glorious,
awful paper need not have been written. Still
no declaration, no Fourth; no Fourth no cele-
pratlon; no celebration, no chance to capture
Luce by first capturing her father.
| Finally, to his great relief, the procession
started for the grove. And what q procession
1t was. Matter-of-fact souls who never had
| seen an old-fashioned Fourth lined the side
| walks OF the main street to scott, but remained
| to cheer, and to finally follow the column.
| Berryburg was a small place, as all Of them
knew, but they told one another that there was
| great deal Of it when it was all there. First
came the grand marshal, one horseback, in the
uniform of major general Che had hired it OF
| o costumer at Louisville.) Behind him tramped
| brass band playing, as well as it could on
short acquaintance, The Good Old Colony
Days, which, by a lucky chance, Clay had
| learned the old-time Fourth OF July process
'ions at Berryburg always started with. Then
came the national colors and the state flag,
escorted by forty young men on horseback and
IN uniform, SO far AZ straw hats from the same
box could make them. There was not much
opportunity for display Of horsemanship, but
each young man was looking his very
best and carrying himself with the air
OF prince, for right behind the
color guard came three wagons arranged az
one and bearing as many interesting girls as
there were stars in the flag. Between these
and the wagon which carried the representa-
tives Of the territories was a carriage in which
rode the orator of the day and the reader OF
the Declaration, the former looking thoroughly
| at ease, thanks to some seasons at Washington,
while the younger man WAS wishing that he
might reach the grove on foot through the
back streets. While gazing ahead, however,
he finally saw, through the thicket OF tresses and
ribbons in front of him. the head and shoulders
OF Luce Purley, and the spectacle seemed to
strengthen his heart greatly, for Leatherton,
who stood with Luce's father under a tree to
view the procession thought that he never
knew before that Clay Burnitt was such a
handsome fellow and the old man muttered:
Neither did I--durn him!"
After the carriage came one containing the
reverend clergy and then followed survivors of
the Union and confederate armies. some of
them In their old uniforms. crippled veterans
being provided with carriages, willie in an old
fashioned gig, all by himself, rode survivor
OF the Mexican war, carrying tho sword with
winch he had taken part in the historic charge
OF May dragoons-an ex-dragoon in a gig was
not In accordance with the fitness of things,
but nobody said so-not OH the Fourth. Then
Followed all the school children, each class I'M
der command of its teacher, the boys with
tneir faces washed and looking as uncOmfOr Ia
pie as II gong to church, while the girls were
uoihg their best to outshine those who rode in
no, .l,.l..
panied by crowds from other towns and so
large delegation from the farming district
tnat Leatherton, who with old Purley had
fallen into the column groaned:
What a splendid day for business if fell
low could only keep his store open!''
Durn business. replied the old man. upon
which the stOrekeeper wished he could get
ahead and tell Clay that the thing was bound to
work.
Arrived at the grove, the two flags were af-
nXed to the right and left of the platform, upon
"hieh the reverend clergy, the orator. the
reauer and the representatives of states and ter
ritories were placed. the girls forming three
SIDES OF square and forming background
winch one OF the reverend clergy said reminded
INN OF heaven. The forty horsemen formed
line at right and left of the platform, the crowd
Hassed itself in front, and as a result of an
afterthought the survivor of Mays dra-
goons was taken to prominent seat on the
platform. as the nearest approach to a revOlu-
tiOnary veteran that the town could supply
There was hush of expectations; the grand
marshal asked the oldest clerSy man to open the
exercises with prayer; then the band played
Hail Columbia and delicious aroma of La
triotism and barbecued OK enveioped every
thing and every body AS the grand marshal arose
and announced:
Reading Of the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, by Gay Burnitt, esquire"
Clay got upon his feet in some way, he
scarcely knew how, and opened his old school
history at the appendix, where the declaration
was printed. The courage accumulated during
the ride had all vanished. Clay looked around
with an air which the sheriff OF the county
said reminded him OF a criminals last glance
from The gallows. Indeed, the sensation was
much the same, for Clay felt himself bidding
farewell to hope and at tine same time looking
for a reprieve or for strength from some power
outside OF himself. He got it, for. as his eve
hurriedly swept the platform, it was arrested
by that of Luce Puriey. 1t was only for frac-
ton of a second. but as Clay faced the great
crowd in front it was with the firm conviction
that Luce Purley's heart was with him and
wanting him to succeed. He was 80 sure OF it
that when his eye fell upon Luce's father, who
leaned against tree near the front with folded
arms and critical face, it was with a flash that
cowed the stout-hearted old fellow and COM
PEELED him to seat himself on the ground, where
he meekly remained during the reading. Then
Clay tossed his head upward, closed the book
began III u lOuu, cledr voice.: VI uen,
the course of human events" The remainder
need not be printed here, though it would be
entirely new to many readers.
Absolute silence was maintained until the
reading ended. but the instant the words their
sacred honor" had announced the end and the
grand marshal was about to announce Emusic.
Yankee Doodle" old Purley sprang to his feet
and shouted
Three cheers for Clay Burnitt and the
Declaration"
Everybody Loyalty roared. The marshal
brought the band into action as the last cheer
died away. and then-well, there's no room in
a short story to tell what the strains of Yankee
people who have not had the force of old asso-
citation refined out of their blood. Clay Burnitt
arose to acknowledge the compliment to him
self and the fathers of the republic; then he
stole glance at Luce Purley. The cheeks
that ten minutes before were pale were now
two glorious Roses the eyes that had looked
anxious were now dancing with joy, yet telling
a story which Clay was sure he understood.
The Grafton which followed was q fine effort.
but Clay could not repeat a word OF it after
ward. neither could Luce As for Purley him
self. he was i'll waiting for his daughter when the
exercises concluded; he also caught Clays arm
and led him aside, put the girls hand in his
and remarkod:
''She's yOurn. / couldn't have done it better
myself-I didn't do it bett n the time read it, ;"
How did you like the rest of the celebra ton,
Mr.. Purley?" asked Clay when be had recovered
from his surprise at the suddenness Of things
.'First.rate; just like old times Mighty glad
you got it up"
Then why did you act so very distant about