People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-07-01

looked woefully disappointed.
WAL, said he, slowly scratching his
head, 81 knowed patriotism was at pref
ty low ebb in this ere part O the coun-
try, but didn't know it was as bad as
this. And when heerd that Judge Ding
ley was gOin' to deliver a Fourth O
July Grafton at Picketts Bridge, | sort O.
thought there might be a market for
some fireworks, and laid MY plans ac-
cordin'. And l didn't think, Neighbor
Jarrett, you'd be one to go back on the
old day"
Mr.. Jarrett worked industriously
away at the large blue-green stretches
of his onion bed, answered only by a
snort, which might have been interpreted
in any way that his interlocutor pleased.
Most of the neighbors hev give me a
small order" he reumed.
"Humph!' said Mr.. Jarrett, unmoved.
Specially where there's children. "
"Humphr
you see, Neighbor Jarrett, it sort
O sets the day off from the rest of the
year"
"Yes-exactly."
"And it don't cost so much arter allr'
resumed Mr.. Austey.
"Humph"
Better femme put your name down
for half dozen pack"
But here Hiram Jarrett Strengthened
his portentous length up with jerk.
'Ye may put my name down for
nothm'" said he. Except for a
man that's heartily sick and tired
of this sort Of thing. l dunno about
your business, but mine is pressin',
and l hain't no time to chatter
with you. And, if it's no offense, I'll
bid ye good-mornin'"
And Mr.. Austey went off, muttering
to himself words that would scarcely
have edited Mr.. Jarrett, could he have
heard them.
Them Jarretts amt hardly humanr'
said he, re-adjusting under his arm the
little bundle of American flags, in diff
ferent styles and sizes, which he had
not ventured to unroll. 1T does
seem as if they didn't think O. nothin'
but gettin' copper pennies together and
countin' 'em, over and over ag'inl"
When Hiram Jarrett had come IN
from the onion field, tired and warm
and stiff with long STOPPING, he glanced
with a dissatisfied eye at the table,
where his wife had set out bowl of
raspberries and milk, bilious-look-
ing slab of cold salt pork, heaped
around with beet greens, and half a
loaf of rye bread.
There amt no sense in settin'
table" said he. I'D jest as soon eat
my victuals off the pantry shelf"
1T seems more sociable-like to sit
down" said his wife, pale, faded lit
tie woman with light-blue eyes and
hair already beginning to turn gray,
although she was not yet forty years
old.
Its all a waste O time, gettin' ready
and cleanin' up" said he, beginning to
eat like famished ocelot.
Mrs Brimmer was over here this
mornin'," said Mrs. Jarrett pouring
herself out cup of weak tea, sweet
ened with maple sugar and drunk with
out milk, because the creameries gave
three cents quart for all that the
three blanket cows" yielded.
"Eh?" said Hiram. What for?"
swell, she's goin' over to East Hill
to spend Fourth O July, and she can't
take that little Fresh Air child with
her; her grandson's so i'll and can't
bear the least bit of noise. And she
thought perhaps we'd be willin' to hev'
him here, jest for day
"She's mistaken, them" said Hiram,
with his mouth full of pork and greens.
81 don't set no store by children, espe-
cially that sort O. childr'
Mrs. Jarrett looked wistfully at her
husband, but made no remonstrance.
She knew from long experience how