The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-07-02

won't buy anything.
It's no use to talk about having any sort
Of a time on sixteen cents"
81 don't suppose it is any use asking
Aunt Silence Joe said, refcctively.
.She'd only say she didn't believe in the
Fourth of July"
"She never believes in anything"
whimpcred Sim.
| 'WclI, I'll ask her, anyway" said Har-
ry. "If she won't help us, there isn't any
way We can earn any money before to-
morrow"
"And we haven't anything TO SELL, said
| Joe. and then started a little, his face
flushing, for he remembered Sukey, his
| little red calf She had been given to him
by old Mrs. Grigsby, who lived on the
hill. The mother cow had fallen into
ditch and died, and Mrs. Grigsby said she
couldn't bother with the calf" Joe had
learned to love it with all his boyish
heart. Sell Sukey! He couldn't think of
such a thing, not even to get fireworks
for the Fourth of July.
Aunt Silence NARROW was rolling out
pie-crust when Harry came into the kitch-
EN-, and she kept on rolling all the time
he was talking to her, not once looking at
him.
"Fireworks!' she said, with a kind Of
mort, when he had finished. Il guess not.
It's all foolishness spending money in
such trash! 1 don't believe in Fourth of
July, noway. You go out and hoe that
garden bed. It's weeds from one end TO
The other"
Sim burst into tears when he heard
what his aunt had said. Joe tried TO con-
sole him, but Sim walled on, for Joe in
the fullncss and love of his heart. had
promised Sim that this year he should
have Irregular boomer of Fourth
eff we buy the fireworks Aunt Silence
won't care if he have them," he reason
ed, and he and Harry had saved every
cent that came into their hands. Over
and over Joe had assured Sim that he
shouldn't be disappointed, that lie should
have the fireworks just as sure as be was
alive.
He remembered that promise now as he
went away from the barn and left Sim
sohbing beside the oat bin. Sukey was
standing beside the bars looking out for
him.
81 suppose Eve got 10 do it, he NUT
tered ut last. at would be mean not to-
and promised Sim. Mother used to tell
Us never to break promise 10 matter
what it cost 10 keep it.'
A piece of rope hung Oh n post close by
Joe took it down, and with gentle hands
tied il about The neck of the little red
calf.
Meantime. having finished making the
pies and set The kitchen in order Miss
Silence ordered Harry 10 hitch up" for
she had 10 go into Ridgedale on some err
rands. She drove into town and stopped
at the butcher shop. The first thing she
saw was little red calf with star in
its forehead. 1t was tied TO one of the
outside stands, and it pulled at lis rope
rs it SAW Miss Silence.
For the lands sake!' exclaimed Miss
Silence, and stood staring a moment. then
walked into the shop.
'That calf beats all for favorn' one
I've got to home" she said to the butcher
''Where'd you get it,"
Bought it half an hour ago from 4
little boy. 1t was pet calf, l guess. Ii
followed him along just like lamb. He
most broke his heart over partin' with H."
"What did the boy look Ike
We'll, he WAS about ten years old, N
had curly hair, blue eyes, n frccklcs. He
said he needed some money for fireworks"
''H-m-m,' said Miss Silence, and stared
down Mt TIE counter SO long that the
butcher wondered if she had forgotten
where size was, but presently she looked
up, and smiled
I'm going to have some veal" she said,
and then she gave her order, and it was
the butchers turn TO stare.
'Well, if that don't beat anything ever
heard tell Of before, he said.
ooh, Joe. where did you get EN-? Glory,
what a lot. Won't We have a bang-up
time? Whcre'd You get en-. Joe:'
''Rought EN-" answered Joe. Never
mind how. You'll have yoar Fourth of
July, Sim
'Well, 1 should say So" said Harry,
looking down at the pile of fireworks on
the floor Of the harness room. Crackers,
pin-whcels, rockets scrpentsI don't un-
dcrstand it. joe
you needn't care about that just now
There was a trcmhle in Joe's voice
which didn't escape Harry's quick ears.
He looked at his little brother keenly.
Joe was dusty, looked tired, and his eyes
were heavy.
They We're all in the kitchen an hour
later when Miss Silence came in, her
arms full Of bundles.
Joe didn't eat any supper. Aunt Silence
apparently didn't notice his lack of appe-
tite, though she glanced al him occasion
ally.
After tie table was cleared and the
dishes put away. Sim crept close to Joe.
"Shail we Tell her Iow:' he whispered.
Yes
SO Sim slowly cross scd the kitchen TO
where Aunt Silence sat by the broad win
dow seat,-on which were stiil piled the
l. j