The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-07-19
THAT FOURTH OF JULY,

n SeleDration Wnlcn VIII Be Long he
membered by at Least Twelve Small
Boys.
1t was Tuesday, the Fourth of July.
Dark-eyed Ralph and laughing-eyed
John, two little brothers, still in kits,
had not been so happy since Christ
mas. Their father had come into din
ner that noon, bringing basket load
ed to the brim with sky-rockets, Ro-
man candles, pin-wheels, grasshoppers
and f're-crackers of all sizes, to send off
as soon as it was dark.
"'Cause if it's light, explained Ralph,
to tl;irteen-year-old boy, who lived in
the alley, you couldn't see them so
we'll"
''Guess | know that" said the alley
boy, lounging still farther over the
low fence, that divided the alley from
Ralph's and Johns back yard. "Where's
your pa wpa, now?"
"Goned widing wiz mamma" an
swered John, resting from violent
spading of his special sand pile.
jim, the alley boy, whistled bar or
two of Comrades.
who's taking care of yous?- he sud
denly stopped to question.
LENA, only she's awful busy iron
ing Raj phi took his turn to answer,
setting his spade deep in his sand pile.
This time Jim did not whistle at all.
He crooked his first finger, squinted his
right eye, and beckoned the little BOYS
nearer.
81 say" he confidentially observed
''its terrible long to wait till tonight
just to see them few fireworks 90 off
amt it; do yer know where they are?"
Course we does" replied Ralph,
while John, scenting something jolly
under this question, blinked his mis-
cEief-Ioviny eyes.
"Well, yer just go and bring them
out once, and leave us look at them"
Jim suggested ''mebbe I'll show you
how awful pretty they'll go off in day
time in a did, empty shed, wild no light
coming in" u
Ralph arid John scampered toward
the house, then they stopped and
looked at each other.
''Oh! go on wild YER" cried jim.
springing over the fence, mo one said
yer shouldn't show 'em to me, any
ways; hurry up; it'll be awful pretty
fine the why they'll go off, um-m-m."
This Was too much for Ralph and
John; they skipped into the house, and,
by dint Of considerable pushing and
showing, they got the big basket out to
the boardwalk in the garden, where
Jim seized it and scuttled out of the
yard, the little boys at his heels.
Now, here's yer old she'd" said jim,
stepping into a loose-jointed little
building standing on cSoss-street
about two blocks from Ralphs and
Johns house, "'spose yer run round
md tell the other little dodgers to come
while get the show ready, and don't
cay nawthin' to the big peoples; they's
never willing to have boys have their
own WAYS
Ralph and John ran off on their err
rand, while Jim tackled up the pin
wheels loosened several packs of shoot,
ing-cra ellers unstrung and bent several
double for "fizzers," and got all in
readiness for his show.
Ralph and John must have done their
errant well, for they soon came back
with 4 dozen other little boys. beside
Eobbie Brown, who was so delighted
with the scheme that he hoped most of
the way on one foot.
what do you think Bobbie was do
ing? asked John, as leader of the little
crowd, his laughing eyes expressing a
volr,ne of fun"
"l>un' no, said jim, pushing the door
wider open for the boys to enter.
why, he was chasing Jones'es cows
into the lake to get drink of water,
awful much bigger than they isl
They might a been drownded, Bob
bic" dcnlurred Ralph.
Well, who tares?" responded Bob.
bic, Struggling his shoulders, COWS
dbn't have funerals, does they?'
No one questioned this logical re-
rlagil, instead they all rushed round
The shed with kind of war-whoop,
then settled themselves cross-legged
upon the floor in front Of Snowman jim
and his exhibit.
Get it goen, there!" called Bobbie
after they had waited two minutes in
the dark and seen nothing, who want,
to wait forever"
No Body did, aud jim FASTENED to light
arm -yvhes