The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-07-03
KNUCKS' FOURTH OF JULY.
Continued from Thirteenth Page ]

try week he had flown homeward as fast
as his crutch would carry him.
Little Jimmy Patton, the sun stricken
lad, lay on the brisk little cripple's bed.
He looked up weakly as his friend hoped
into the room.
"I've got It, Jimp' Knucks cried eager
ly. i've got ticket for one, an you can
go to the country tomorrowW
you'll get well now, old mani" cried
Knucks. IAN, Jim, you jest remember
everything you do an see an hear fer ter
tell me-"
The sick boy held out the ticket.
II amt goin, Knucky," he said. you
are the one that got the ticket; you are to
goi''
Mr.. Hallett wps keen questioner and
1t was not long till he had the whole story.
"Course / wouldn't listen TO him, said
Knucks in telling It, But it's no use; he
says l got the ticket an I've got to go on
it,"
"Well, why don't your said Mr.. Hallett
"Me9" The boys tone was defiant, but
he looked worried and troubled, more than
he would tell. "Me gop Who'd take care
of him while"- His voice shook, and he
started to hop from the room. Keep
your ticket, !" he jerked.
Sit down there again, said Mr.. Jop-
lin. Here, little feller, both of you can
| go to the country"
Knucks had sat down, and now for a
moment he stared ut the man in the pep.
| per and salt suit
"There's only one ticket" he faltered
finally
Hang ticketsr' cried Mr. Joplin.
"You fellers are goin with me. Tomor-
rows the Fourth of July. I'll give pot
latch. I-git along with you. Tell the
other little feller that both of you are goin
! to the country with me tomorrow. Say,
hold on. Any more sick boys you know of!
Invite EN- all?''
".Iohn," interrupted the secretary.
Invite 'em all, :" said Mr.. Joplin, talk
ing him down. you've got to have q
crowd when you give potlatch. Hold
onl Better let MIR. Secretary do the invit-
in. But you and the other little chap be
on hand here at this Office by sun up.
Don't forgetp'
| Knucks glanced at the secretary inquir-
ingly and got n reassuring nod. He flew
for home as fast as he could possibly go,
wholly unmindful of the heat, and told
the glorious news Jim Immediately sat
up in bed declaring that he felt well.
But what's potlatchp' he asked pres.
emily.
II dunno" answered Knucks, "but it's
something good"
Next morning a mob Of children t. JOd
collected at the door of the Fresh Air so.
ciety before the sun rose They were all
boys
Such crowd of weaklings as they were
white faced, skinny little fellows-but
every face ashine with eagerness.
| Whila Mr. Hallatt had baan iSsi1ipcr fhf
invitations the giver of the potlatch hat
been equally busy. He had strobe hithei
and thither, made purchases and sent tele
grams.
Presently all was ready. Across tn,
ferry they were bundled into the cars, ant
variety of boxes of all sizes were thrus
into the express car, and away they went
1t was still early in the forenoon wheI
they reached their destination-a prett.
green powered country village that Mr.
Hallett had recommended-and there wa
brass band at the depot to meet them.
"We're here, fellowsl" cried Mr.. Joplin
to his boys. "This is the place. It's ou
in the open air, and today's the Fourth o
July, Yell all you want to. The banC
will now play"
The musicians headed the procession o
whoopling lads to pleasant grove Jus
outside of town. The boys who couldn'
run walked, and those who couldn't wall
rode in long wagon on top Of the boxe
that had come from the city.
AS they entered the grove little Jim
who was riding on the seat beside tn
driver, lifted his thin face to sniff tn
breeze that blew fresh and odorous from
the trees.
"Smell the green, Knucks," he cried
turning to his comrade who was percheI
on one Of the boxes in the wagon. "Oh
smell the greenP'
1.-THE first thing" said Mr.. Joplin's BIZ
voice. "is to eat. Some of us didn't haT
as much breakfast as we wanted and meb
by some of us didn't have any at all S
eat now, fellers, and talk later on"
All those urchins fell upon that lonl
table almost like as many ravenous wolves
And then in a moment Jimmy whispers
something to Knucks, and Knucks hopes
over to where Mr. Hallett was and whis
pered to him:
"Mebby we oughtn't to eat too much
sir 1t costs lots of money, an perhap
Mr.. Joplin
"Mr. Joplin is the owner of a great cat
tie ranch out in Colorado answered Mr.
Hallett. "He can afford this"
"We didn't know" said Knucks. "Hi
pepper an salt suit looks kinder-well, W
we didn't know"
And when Mr.. Hallett told the ma
from Colorado what Knucks had said MI
Joplin laughed big, hearty ." Haw Haw I
and then he looked himself over, and the
he colored, and then he laughed again.
When they had all eaten and were filed
Mr., Joplin stood up at the head of tn
mighty breakfast table in his seedy peppe
and salt, and he said rather awkwardly:
II asked Mr.. Hallett to make you
speech, but he says I've got to do it.
haven't much to say. This is the Fourt
of July. It's the proper thing to read th
Declaration of Independence on the Fourt
of July, but the only Declaration of In
dependence we're goin to have here Is tina
we're goin to DO just exactly as we pleas
all day long.
"We're goin to yell as much and as lou
as we please. There are two big boxes {
firecrackers over there, and we're goin I
help ourselves to all we want and shoot ii
they're all gone
"We're goin to eat again at O'Clock an
again at 9 O'Clock, and we've got to kee
busy in tie meantime, or we won't hay
good appetites.
after dinner the ice cream free1ers wi
be opened, and every feller will grab