The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-07-21

have put on the white DIR ass, and 4 E
i looked her over with that air OF haf-
patronizing approval with which boys
are apt to regard the good looks oi
their sisters and their cousins.
Then he exhibited the pistol. 1t. had
AS a boys knife, or gun, or boat
always has distinguishing and in
dividual merits OF it's own. No other
/ pistol, though it We're run in the same
mold, could quite compare with it,
and 1t was by some sort Of wonderful
chance that he had become it's pos
SCISSOR. Conn wondered and admired
with him to his hearts content. Then
came breakfast, and then the march
ing OF the Brighton Blues. This was
q company Of boys in blue uniform
handsome, healthy, wide-awake boys,
from fourteen to seventeenyears old
every one ofthem thepride OF mothers,
and sisters, and cousins. They were
to march into Boston, and parade the
streets, and dine at arestaurant, and
see the fireworks in the evening, and
| don't know what other wonderful
things.
Jack was in the highest spirits. He
was sure he and his pistol was a
necessary part OF the day; and he
sincerely pitied Conn, because she was
q girl, and must stay at home.
Bang, whang goes the DRUM tootle-te-
| tootle the fife;
Oh! a day in the city square-there is no
such pleasure in liie!''
he quoted; and then he called back to
her from the gate:
"It's too bad, Conn, that there's no
fun for you, but keep your courageup,
and I'll bring you something
And SO they marched away in the
gay, glad morning sunshine, following
their band of music-a boys band
that was, too.
Conn stood and watched them with
a wistful, longing look in her great blue
eyes. and the soft, bright color coming
and going on her girlish cheeks. At
last She gathered a bunch OF red
roses, and put them in her bosom,
and went into the house. She sewed
little and then she tossed her work
aside, for who cares to work on holi-
days? Then she took up her new
book; but the tale it told seemed dull
and cold beside the warm throbbing
life of which the outside world was
full. She wished over and over that
she were boy-that she might have
marched away with the rest. Then
she wondered if she could not 60 into
town and see them from somewhere,
in all their glory. Very littleidea had
she Of a Boston crowd on Fourth of
July. She had been into town often
enough with her aunt or her uncle,
and walked through the quiet streets;
and she thought she should have
little trouble in doing the same now
She looked in her purse, she had not
much money, but enough so that she
could ride if she got tired, and she
would be sure to save enough to come
home. She called her Aunt Sarah's
one servant, and made her promise to
keep the secret as long as she could,
and then tell Aunt Sarah that she had
gone to Boston to find Jack, and see
him march with the rest.
The girl was good-natured crea-
ture, not bright enough to know that
it was her duty to interfere, and cas-
lily persuaded by Conn's entreaties,
and the bit Of blue ribbon with which
they were enforced.
And SO Conn started off, as the boys
had done before her, and went on her
way. But she had no gay music to
which to march, and for company she
had only her own thoughts-her own
hopes. ~.
Still she marched bravely on. .-..
There were plenty of other people 60
ing the same way-indeed it seemed
to Conn as if everybody must be going
into Boston. Excitement upheld her,
and she trudged along, mile after mile,
across the pleasant mill-dam, and at
last she reached Beacon street. Her
head had begun to throb horribly by
the time she got into town. It seemed
to her that all the world was whirling
round and round, and she with it.
But she could not turn back then-in-
deed she did not know how to find any
conveyance, and she knew her feet
would not carry her much farther.
Surely she must see Jack soon. He
had said they should march through
Beacon street. She would ask some
one. She had an idea that every one
must know about anything SO import
ant as the Brighton Blues. At last
she got courage to speak to a kind
looking servant-maid, in the midst of
a group on the steps OF one ofthe Bea-
con street houses. The girl pitied her
white face, SO pale now, with all the
pretty pink roses faded from the tired
young cheeks, and answered kindly.
She did not know about the Bright
ON Blues, but she guessed ali the COM
panies had been by there, or would
come. Wouldn't the young lady sit
down with them on the steps, and
rest, and wait little?
And "the young lady" sat down,
What could she do else, with the
whole world whirling, whirling, and
her feet 50 strangely determined to
whlrl out from under her? And then
it grew dark, and when it came light
again there was a wet cloth on her
hair, and she lay on 9 lounge in a cool
basement, and the kind girl who had
cared for her told her that she had
tainted. And then she had some food
and grew refreshed little, but was
strangely confused yet, and with only
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