The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-07-07

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'Meriker for ten dollars!" said 'Phras-
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 a side gate,
the ran dashed forward with unexpect-
ed quickness, knocked his new owners
feet from under him and laid him fat
on his back.
Hes got a good smart temper" re-
marked one Of the assistants, as King
George appeared ready to charge the
entire force.
Serves Mr.. Turner right for spend
ing SO much money on an old British
sheep" 'Phrastus whispered to Har-
vey.
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 w
| resolution firm, for she dearly loved
| the motherless boy, mischievous as he
| was.
"You 'hain't been giving him money
| for f~irecrackers or dossying him up,
have ye, Benz" she inquired of her hus-
band.
mo, I amt" responded Uncle Ben.
But jest think ont Perscilla. The
| heft of a boys livin' is rumpus. and to
choke him off on the Fourth! 1t's-well,
it's plaguy cruel! He'll bust"
mo, he won't! You jest let him alone
Benjamin Arbuckle. It's time he
learned that cats and wash-b'iler and
other folks had some right on the
Fourth Of July's wells boys"
where you going, 'Phrastus?" she
demanded, when the Fourth of July at
last arrived, as quiet in their imme-
date vicinity as if it had been a Sun
day.
"Down to Mr.. Turner's woodlot to
sail my boats,
He had the boat conspiciously tucked
under his arm. Aunt 'Silla regarded
him with q mixture of remOrse and
suspicion.
"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 h ia
ble."
That's had too much powder
Already" 'Phrastus had carefully
studied up this smart speech In adj
| vance.
"Hum" Aunt Priscilla shifted.
E"Well, go long then. If you 60 to that
p'rade, sir. you know what you'll get"
"Ain't goin'."
"And ii I hear Of you hanging round
any of the other boys houses, you'll
catch it"
"Yes'm."
'Phrastus slouched off with an air OF
| deep seated melancholy till the barn
was between himself and Aunt 'Scilla's
remorseful eyes. Harvey had more
than kept his promise, and 'Phrastus
executed the final steps Of a 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"
1t was not yet nine o'cock, but there
was every promise Of q hot day. The
leaves hung m%otionless; the cattle were
already seeking shade. 'Phrastus rub
bed his arm across his perspiring face.
wonder why it's always 80 awful
hot on the Fourth? Maybe cause
there's so much fire. everywhere.
Wouldn't it be fun to have "A snow
forty" ..-F'.
He beguiled the way by q delightful
fancy of flying snowballs, each carry
ing q lighted fire cracker, until the
climbing Of the last fence brought him
into the edge of the woods. r. 81
Through the pond, a shallow drinking
place for sheep, small brook flowed.
'Phrastus sat down under a tree, and
padded his bare toes in the water with
q sigh Of content.
III there was only jest n other fell
Ter with me, wouldn't 1t be primer
But then he'd have to be the British
and get beat, cause I'm bound to be
'Merican."
'Phrastus had planned q naval engage
ment that should reverse a fact OF his
tory. One of Uncle Ben's favorite
stories was Of the ship Chesapeake.
when the English ship Leopard forced
her to strike her colors In a time OF
peace. Uncle Ben's grandfather had
been a sailor on the American vessel,
and the story Uncle Ben loved to lis
ten to as a child, he loved to tell to
'Phrastus.
But 'Phrastus had determined that
those ships should meet again on MI.
Turner's pond with a very different
result. -:
He. began his preparations, The five
cent flag rendered the Chesapeake top
heavy; so he stuck 1t into the bank be-
hind her. Truth compels me to con-
Tess that 'Phrastus showed very little
generosity toward his imaginary foes.
The Chesapeake was q full-f1edged
schooner, at least eighteen inches long,
with two rows of fire cracker guns on
either side. The English ship was only
a third as large-l block Of wood whit
tied roughly into the semblance OF q
bout. with one crooked, WObbling mast.
Her complement Of guns was a meager
II half4dOzen-three on q side. E
For you're bound to be bowed
skyer-higher anyway, you old British
en-" said 'Phrastus.
The two big FIRE crackers were placed
III position at the Chesapeake's bon
and stern, and the commodore, joyful
III striking q match, stopped down to
dire his gums.
WhAck ,Phrastus shot ont Into the
pond turning d s0mersault and scat
Il tering matches a. he went. His line
sof motion was directly across the Chesa
peake. Both her, stately maats snapped
and the stately vessel careened tills her
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