The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-07-19

VIII LII O1AO III VI UllS pIdlI4Ss
Finally, away he trudged back to
the cabin, leaving her watching his
course with wondering eyes. He took
the flag from the wall and r~esurrected
from among some old keepsakes a few
fre-crackers and torpedoes. There
was an old fife there and he took that
also and putting together a lunch he
started to find his audience
A comical figure did Melancthon
make plodding through the pa pitating
air. It had grown sultrier and the
clouds moving faster, but he did
not notice it. A full throated Bob
White balanced himself on a broken
sunfower stalk and called to the eager
traveller, but he heard not. There was
mingling with the image of the little
one waiting yonder thoughts of a
sunny faced sister who back in the old
boyhood days had played with him by
the waters of Lake Erie. He had
scarcely thought of her for years, and
now the old pang that nearly broke
his boyish heart when she was taken
from him and laid to rest came back
again.
A pearly drop twinkled on his beard
as he leaned over the child.
Are you crying?" she asked notice
ing it.
"No-no-it's mighty hotan'I sweat
easy" was his gruf response as he
ratified the fife and threw the flag on
the sod.
"Now, we'll eat first and then cele-
brate."
So he spread the bread and butter
and poured out the creamy milk, and
soon they were meeting on the common
level of appetite. 1t seemed more and
more to the grizzled settler as if thirty
five years had dropped from his shout
ders, and he ate with the gusto Of a
boy.
NOW for the celebration" he ex-
claimed when the lunch was finished.
1T won't be a big one such as they
have over ter tn city, but it'll be just
as lively fer its size"
A dry sunfower stalk, a remainder
of the previous years weed growth,
served as a fagpole, and upon it the
battered banner was hoisted. The wind
was variable and the flag veered from
side to side, uncertain which way to
extend it's folds.
Melancthon showed his charge how
to fire the crackers, and shook with
laughter at her gay cries of half
startled merriment. Then he allowed
her to break the torpedoes against his
great rough boots and enjoyed her
wonder that he did not finch from the
ordeal. Then, when there were no
more explosions possible, she sat down
beside her entertainer and he played
on a fife the old marching tunes:
{, Yankee Doodle" America" and
other patriotic airs.
q learned 'em when 1 was young"
he explained, spreading the big blue
army coat to make her more comfort
able, an 1 aiu't played in a good
WHILE"
Then while her curly head rested
against his arm he told her Of those
times when he was young, which to-
day seemed very near to him, of the
little sister dear, of the celebrations,
of the war and of the fearful battles.
The curly head nodded, and nodded,
and nodded, and when the story-teller
looked for the big blue eyes they were
hidden. The child was asleep.
At the same moment he noticed that
great cloud masses were rising in the
southwest and north.
Fourth of July alwasy ends in a
rain," muttered Melancthon. "They
say it's on account of tn gunpowder.
Guess that's what's the matter now"
and he showed his teeth grimIy.
"Well, there's no time to waste. If a
cyclones comm tn haystack's as good
a place as any"
Carefully wrapping the child in the
huge coat on which she lay, and dc
posting the flag by her side, he
gathered the little burden in his strong
arms and set out for the stack on the
disputed land, only a score of rods
away.
The clouds above them we're nearly
together now and, though the wind
came from the north, the storm from
the south was Whirling madly to meet
its adversary 1t was growing dark,
and it was evident that the typical
prairie "Twister" was to be born in q
moment.