Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-07-01

ing to leave the tail of that little jackass ex-
cept under most extraordinary circum.
stances.
A fly of exceptional vigor assaulted julius
Caesar upon the flank, and, his tail not
whisking as well as usual, because of the In
cumbrance, he missed the enemy at the first
swish and moved uneasily forward for sew.
eral feet. AS it Glanced this movement left
the other string of firecrackers fairly in the
lap of Cocoanut. The boys were still dis
cussing the situation.
cts too bad; is too bad" said Billy.
"What'n we do?"
IT don't know" said Cocoanut.
"Do you think we dare let 'em off even if
the flag didn't fy?" said Billy.
IT don't know" said Cocoanut
ri believe I'll get on julius Caesar and ride
little" said Billy, 'sand you throw stones at
him and hit him if you can. It's pretty
hard to make him run, you know"
"All right" said Cocoanut.
Billy rose and wandered over and mounted
Julius Caesar, Cocoanut barely turning his
head and watching the white boy lazily, as
Billy gathered up the bride, which was the
only equipment Julius Caesar had. 1t was
then, just as Billy had fairly settled himself
down, that an inspiration came to Cocoanut,
"Lemme let off just one little cracker" he
said. "Nlebbe it'll start Julius Caesar ago.
ing" and Billy joyously assented.
Now Cocoanut had never seen the effect
which whole string of frecrackers can pro-
duce. He had assisted in firing one or two
little ones, and that was, all he knew about
it. Billy didn't know that the string of
tirecruckers was attached to the tail of Ju-
Illus Caesar, and Cocoanut himself had ubso-
lutely forgotten it. Cocoanut produced a
match and lit it and carefully ignited the
thin, papery end of the ultimate little crack
Ell on the string, and it smoked away and
hickered and sputtcred towards its object.
There have been various exciting occasions
upon the island wherein is Honolulu. There
have been some great volcanic explosions
there, and earthquakes and tidal waves. 1t
is to be doubted, however, if upon that
charming island ever occurred anything more
complete and alarming and generally spec
tacular, in small way, than followed the
moment when the first cracker exploded of
Julius Caesar. Cocoanut had expected one
cracker to go off, but had anticipated moth
ing further He was correct in his view
only as regarded the mere gong-off of tbs
cracker. What followed was surprise to
him and to all the adjacent world. There was
a rattle and roar the first two or three
feet of small crackers went off, and then, as
the first cannon cracker was reached with a
thunder and blast of smoke, Cocoanut went
over backwards and away off into the grass,
while Julius Caesar simply launched himself
into space. 1t was all downhill before him.
He started for Australia. Anybody could
see that You couldn't tell whether he was
going for Sydney or Melbourne, but you knew
he was going for Australia in general way
His leaps, assisted by the downhill course,
were something to witness. Cocoanut has
since estimated them at 10 feet Jump. while
Billy says 60 (for both boys, it is good to say
are still a.ive), but then Billy was on tie
| jackass and may lave Eocn excited; prob
ably somewhere, say. about 80 feet, would he
| the correct estimate. Talk about your hol'
| rifying comets with their tails OF c.re They
were but slight affairs. lccasiy considered
| for terrific explosions accompanied ever.
| jump of Julius Caesar, and comets dom
make any noise. 1t was all swift, but tn,
noise and awful appearance of Billy ant
| julius Caesar sufiiced in minute to startl
such of the populace of Honolulu who wer
| already awake, and there was wild rush o
scores Of people in the wake of where Bill.
| and julius Caesar went downward to TIL
| sea. j ne eAlell u Tue leap Vi y ulluS Sdesd
when he finally reached the shore has neye
been fully decided upon, but it was a grea
leap. Billy, jackass and fireworks wen
down like a plummet, and, very soon there
after, Billy and iaclsass, but no fireworks
came to the surface again and then swan
vigorously towards the shore, for everybod
and everything in Hawaii can swim like
| duck. They were received by brown ant
wildly applauding crowd of natives, and
minute or two later by Cocoanut, who ha
| run like deer to see the end of the vas
| performance he had inaugurated.
| An hour or two later two boys and littl
jackass were all together upon the hill again
the boys excited and jubiant and saying tina
they'd had Fourth of July, anyhow, an
the jackass in doubtful and thoughtfu
mood
The boys have grown amazingly within tn
last year. The jackass seems to be abou
the same. But about the Fourth of Jul
next at hand, it looks good deal as if tn
boys wouldn't have the same trouble the
had in 1897. STANLEY WATERLOO.
Its Patron saint.
BloobumpcrIs the Fourth OF July
saints day?
Spatts-I think not.
Rioobumper-l thought George Washin
ton was canonized charlottesville Lourie
i journal.