Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-06-27


dred dollars for him. / guess I'll walk
down and see him when they take him
out"
Two = hundred = dollars for a
sheep!" 'Phrastus hoped over the
fence and trotted along by his friends
side. What pile of money for one
sheep! Say. Harvey. d you ;;est as lief
put in box of matches and a fi'-cent
flag stead of two o. them bunches?"
Just exactly"
The wagon turned into Mr.. Turner's
barnyard. and the boys followed it.
Il bet I'd never pay them old British
two hundred dollars for a Sheep" said
'Phratus. thrusting his hands deep into
his pockets as he watched the men
carefully lower the Cotswold ram,
king George NIL" to the ground
What do you know about the Brit
ish. Bub?" asked one of the men.
Il know we whipped 'em twicet-
Fourth of july" said 'Phrastus
We'll, it seems they can beat us on
sheep" laughed the man.
Il 'spect If Mr.. Turner had looked
round he'd got jest as good one
In 'Meriker for ten dollars cried
'Phrastus- They can't bea: us on
anythingr'
Having reached the ground safely,
King George stamped his royal foot
and shook his curved horns Then, as
MIR. Turner entered the yard by a side
gate, the ram dashed forward with un-
expected quickness, knocked his new
owners feet from under him and laid
him fiat on his back.
I<.c 90
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 Harvey.
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 mother1ess boy, mischievous as he
| was
You hain't been giving him money
| for firecrackers or dossying him up,
have We, Benz she inquired of her hus-
| band.
No. / amt" responded Uncle Ben.
But jest think ont, Perscilla. The
| heft of a boys Twin is rumpus, and to
choke him off on the Fourth. it's-well,
it's plaguy cruel! He'll bust
NO, he won't! You jest let him
alone, Benjamin Arbuckle. It's time
! he learned that cats and wash-b'ilers
and other folks had some rights ON the
| Fourth of July S well S boys"
Where you going, 'Phrastus?" she
demanded, when the Fourth had at
last arrived, as quiet in their imme-
date vicinity as if it had been a Sun
day.
Down to Mr.. Turner's wood lot to
sail my boats"
| He had the boats conspicuously
tucked under his arm. Aunt 'Scilla re-
| garded him with a mixture of remorse
and suspicion.
You amt fred off your pistol yet?"
Nom; don't wanter. Once amt
nothin'. It'd sound as if it'd lost itself"
| Your pas flag is there on the table. :"
| THAT'S had too much powder
already" 'Phrastus had carefully
studied up this smart speech in adj
vance.
Hum Aunt Priscilla shifted.
'Well, go long then. If you go to
that p'rade, sir, you know what you'll
get"
''Ain't goin'.'
"And if hear of your hanging round
any of the other boys houses, you'll
| catch it,"
"Yes'm."
'Phrastus slouched off with an air Of
| 1oon-Soafod rpaIonohn1yy till ho ho,-
was between himself and Aunt 'Scilla's
remorseful eyes. Harvey had moe
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 vet nine o'clock, but there
was every promise of a hot day. The
leaves hung motionless; the cattle
were already seeking shade. 'Phrastus
rubbed 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 a snow
fort?''
He beguiled the way 10y delightful
fancy of flying snow balls, each carry
ing a lighted fire-cracker, until the
climbing of the last fence brought
him into the edge of the woods.
Through the pond. a shallow drink
ing place for sheep. small brook
flowed 'Phrastus sat down under a
tree, and padded his bare toes in the
water with a sigh of content.
IF there was only jest one other
teller with me, wouldn't it be prime?
A1 no fho RrifiSb