Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-07-05

'Merlker Tor ten dOllarS! SAID 'PnrlS'
tus. '"They can beat us on anything"
Having reached the ground safely,
King George stamped his foot and
shook his curved horns. Then, as Mr..
Turner entered the yard by side gate,
the ram dashed forward with uneXpect-
| ed quickness, knocked his new owner
feet from under him and laid him fat
on his back.
"He's got good smart temper" re-
marked one of the assistants, as King
George appeared ready to charge the
entire force.
Serves ur. Turner right for spend
ing SO much money on an old British
Sheep 'Phrastus whispered to Har-
Eey.
Aunt Priscilla noticed with surprise
that 'Phrastus neither whined nor
pleaded when she, reannounced her
Fourth Of July edict. She repeated the
| command in order to keep her own
| resolution firm, for she dearly loved
the motherless boy, mischievOus as he
was.
"You 44hain't been giving him money
for firecrackers or dossying him up,
have ye, Benz" she inquired of her hus-
| band.
mo, I amt" responded Uncle Zen.
'But jest think ont Perscilla. The
heft of boys livin' is rumpus, and to
choke him off on the Fourth! 1ts-well,
it's plaguy cruel! He'll bust"
"No, he won't! You jest let him alone
Benjamin Arbuckle. It's time ne
learned that cats and wash-b'iler and
other folks had some right on the
Fourth of July's wells boys"
D1oVs1c
demanded, when the Fourth of July at
last arrived, as quiet in their imme-
| diate vicinity as if it had been Sun
day. 80, -
sail my boats.",
He had the boat conspiciously tucked
under his arm. Aunt 'Silla regarded
I him with q mixture Of remorse and
suspicion o,,
"You amt fired off your pistol yet?'
Nom; don't wanter Once amt moth
in. It'd sound as if it'd lost itself"
'Your pas flag is in there on the Ia
ble."
"That's had too much powder
a'ready." 'Phrastus had carefully
studied I'M this smart speech in adj
| vance.
"Humv' Aunt Priscilla shifted.
ssWell, 90 long then. If you go to tnaC
p'rade, sir, you know what youH GET
"Ain't goin'."
"And if 1 hear of you hanging round
anv of the other boys houses, you'll
catch it!'
"Yes'm."
'Phrastus slouched off with an air OF
dozen seated melancholy till the barn
was between himself and Aunt 'Scilla's
remorseful eyes. Harvey had more
than kent his promise, and 'Phrastus
executed the final steps of war
dance.
"Ain't he good. though! I'll hunt
dogs for him all day. Look at these
two big fellers! They'll do for Long
Toms on the Chesapeake.'
IT was not vet nine o'cock, but there
| was eyery promise Of hot day. The
leaves hung motionless; the cattle We're
already seeking shade. 'Phrastus rub
he'd his arm across his perspiring face.
"Wonder why it's always so awful
hot on the Fourth? Maybe cause
there's so much fire everywhere.
Wouldn't it be fun to have snow
fort?' ,,u,,4e,,,
He beguiled the way by a delightful
fancy of flying snowballs, each carry
ing n lighted fire cracker, until the
climbing of the last fence brought him
into the edge of the woods.
Through the pond. shallow drinking
Mace for sheep, small brook flowed:
'Phrastus sat down under a tree and
naddled his bare toes in the water with
sigh Of content. g.,
"If there was only jest one other fel.
Ter with me. wouldn't it be prince
But then he'd have to 81 DC hound omu D to be
'Phrastus had planned naval engage
mont That should reverse fact of his
tory. one of Uncle Ben's favorite
stories was of the ship Chesapeake:
when the English skip Leopard forced
her to strike her colors In time OF
peace. Uncle Ben's grandfather had