The Red Cloud chief., 1892-07-01

1t was intensely sultry with banks OF
white clouds floating aimlessly here
and there across the electric blue sky.
lie rambled toward the disputed land,
thinking, and chuckling rs he thought,
how neatly he would outwit his enemy.
His heavy boots swishcd through the
uncut grass before reaching the moved
section. 'Cold day when anybody gifts
ahead Of me-" he unused. an to-day
amt chilly. Mighty good time to de-
clare my indepen-woll, what's that?"
A curly head rose from the bending
grasses and windfiowers before him, al
most mt his very feet. 1t turned and a
round, babyish face looked up into his
bronzcd and harsh one.
"Well, little onc, where did you drop
down from?'
"From mammals house," replied a
sweet, girlish voice. ''It's lonesome
over there an I ruined away"
"Who Is your mother"
Just mamma. Are you q soldier?"
The child took in with eager chances
the semi-military appearance of Me-
lanchthon's attire.
"No, I'm cclebratin' to-day
why are you doing that?"
Don't you know? It's Fourth of
July when we licked the Britishers-
didn't you ever celebrate?"
NO." replied the little one, .'lct's do
it,
The settler was puzzled yet attracted
by this odd little creature before him.
He could not imagine where she had
come from, as he knew of no such chill
dren in the neighborhood. lie offered
to take her back to his cabin, but she
refused to go and insisted that he bring
the materials for n celebration to her
and hold the proceedings there in the
midst Of tho prairie.
Finally, away he trudged back to the
cabin, leaving her watching his course
with wondering eyes. He took the flag
from the wall and resurrected from
among some old keepsakes IA few fire.
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 palpitating
air. 1t had grown sultrier and the
clouds were moving faster, but he did
not notice IL. A full-throated Bob
White balanced himself on a broken
suntiower 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 sun
ny-faced sister who back in the old boy
hood days had played with him by
xl,a x,nta.o ~ V,1,n E.,. H., k,l
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 1t.
"No-no-it's mighty hot an / sweat
easy" was his gruff response as he rat
tied 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 rs If thirty
five years had dropped from his shout
ders, and he ate with the gusto of a boy.
'Now for the celebration" he cx-
claimed when the lunch was finished.
ut won't he a big n such as they have
over ter tn city, butitll be just as lively
fer its size"
A dry sunilower stalk, n remainder Of
the previous years wced-growth, served
as "a Aagpole, and upon it the tattered
banner was hoisted. The wind was
variable and the flag veercd from side
to side, uncertain which way to extend
its folds.
Melancthon showed his charge how to
fire the crackers, and shook with laugh
tor at her gay cries of h~alf-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 *
plosions possible, she sat down beside
her entertainer and nc played on n fife
the old marching tunes: Yankee
Doodle" "America," and other patriotic
airs.
II learned 'em when I was young"
he explained, spreading the big blue
army coat to make her more comforta-
BILE, IAN I amt played in u 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 s~tory-teller
look for the big blue eyes they were
hidden. The child was asleep.
At the same moment he noticed thai