The Van Buren press., 1893-07-22
THAT FOURTH OF JULY,

membsred by 1t Least Twelve Small
Boys. t-#
1t was Tuesday, the Fourth of July.
=Dark-eyed Ralph and laughing-eyed
John, twolittle brothers, still In kits,
had not been SO happy since Christ
mas. Their father had come into din
per that noon, bringing a basket load
ed to the brim with sky-rockets, Ro-
man candles, pin-wheels, grasshoppers
and fire-crackers of all sizes, to send off
rs soon as it was dark.
"'Cause II it's light" explained Ralph,
TO thirteen-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 IS
your pawpa, now2"i "a
''Goned widing wiz mamma" an
swered John, resting from a violent
spading Of his special sand pile. s
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" Ralph 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.
II saw" he confidentially observed,
"it's terrible long to wait till tonight,
lust to see them few fireworks go 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-
chief-loving eyes. ~ w
"Well, yer Just go and bring them
out once, and leave us look ut them, "
Jim suggested, "mebbe I'll show you
how awful pretty they'll go off in day
time in old, empty shed, wild no light
coming in" 81
Ralph and John scampered toward
the house; then they stopped nnd
looked at each other.
"Oh go on wild yer" cried Jim,
springipg over the fence, mo one said
yer shouldn't show 'cm to me, any
ways: hurry up; it'll be awful pretty
fine the way 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
ward. the little boys at his heels.
"Now, here's yer old shed, said Jim,
stepping into loose-jointed little
building standing on q cross-street
about two blocks from Ralph's and
Johns house, "'spose yer run round
and tell the other little codgers to come
while get the show ready, and don't
say 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
inp-crackers unstrung and bentseveral
double for "fizzers,' and got all in
readiness for his show.
Ralph and John must have done their
errand well, for they soon came back
with dozen other little boys, beside
Robbie 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
inp?r asked John, as leader OF the little
crowd, his laughing eyes expressing q
volume of fun"
"Dun' no, said Jim, pushing the door
wider open for the boys to enter
hVhy, he was chasing Jones'es cows
into the lake to geta drink OF water
awful much bigger than they is?'
"They might been drownded' BOD
bic" demurred Ralph. -r--... ..a
"Nell. who tares?" responded Bob
HE. Struggling his shoulders, COWS
don't have funerals, does they
No one questioned this logical re,
,narL instead they all rushed round
the shed with kind OF war-whoop,
shor settled themselves cross-leggeo
upon the floor in front OF Snowman ''N
and his exhibit.
"Get It goen, there" calico Robbie,
after they had waited two minutes IN m
tha dark and seen nothing, VINO wants
to wait forever?' ....a.o, ,;abt
Nobody did, and jim hastened 70 hsn'
piu-whseL