Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1891-07-03


dose in other guns, until the whole val
ley got bombardment Of stones that
shattered window panes and ratified on
the roofs Of tho houses.
The boys laughed and cheered when
they saw the people rush out Of doors
and stare at the display on the hilltop.
A dozen pairs Of hands fell to gathering
stones, and after a few more volleys the
inhabitants turned out en- masse and
climbed up the hill for safety. Then the
boys resumed blank charges and the day
closed with every soul in. Oreville on
Jake's hill
Years passed before Jake got an
other chance to play a leading part in
Fourth of July doings. The year fol-
lowing he had emigrated to another state,
and spent the day wandering from Cross
roads to crossroads, and from postofhce
to postotKce looking for the Fourth. The
next year he put in hoeing corn. The
year after that he held a flag for q Sun
day school picnic, riding twenty miles
standing up in a hay wagon loaded with
fidgeting, perspiring humanity. and went
home to reflect that he had endured the
tortures of q twenty mile ride or lum-
Der trucks, working like q yeoman mean
while to keep old glory afoat, just to
eat some Of his mothers cake and his
aunt's bread and his cousins biscuit.
The next year, however, made up for a
string of eventless Fourths.
It was the occasion of the Prince of
Wales visit to America, and Jake had
become a town boy in a wide awake
place that got up mock reception to
spurious highness, who made his en-
trance in state on a canal barge. The
fantastic turnout was something gor-
geous in its hideousness and in it's uni
versatility" All America, including even
All Sin and group of his cousins, was
represented In a procession that moved
with floats and carriages, on foot and on
horseback. Up to the last moment the
aborigines were forgotten in the rage
for showing foreign acquisitions. Jake
was a patron Of tho literature of the
border and an admirer Of the red man,
and his services We're accepted without
question to fill the gap in the procession.
All went well, and the umber colored
child Of the forest received his share of
homage from the crowds that reviewed
the pageant
Finally tho canal bridge came insight,
with the prince standing on the edge Of
the barge receiving the welcome Of the
nations at tho hands Of a spokesman as
each division came up. Jake saw just
in time that he was q nation all in him
self and must be his own spokesman,
although no speech had been given him
to rehcarse. It occurred to him, too,
that h;' speech must be in the Indian
tongue, and he knew but one expression
that he could trust himself on Ealt-
ing and gelutlny the prince. and his
train with many contortions intended
to convey respect lie bawled cut,
'Say-go-ye-wat-a-hah," to the amaze
ment of the king of tho fantasies,
the mogul of the day, who stood
beside the distinguished guest It hap
pened that the king was the champion
fat man Of the town-in fact, he was the
shape of sugar caslk, the longest, the
broad way. It also happened that
Jake emphasized the last three sylla-
bles Of his lingo, and in the hubbub Of
the occasion everybody within hearing,
including the king and prince, under
stood him to say for a windup, '*What a
hog" his eye meanwhile being on the I'm
posing and all overshadowing king.