Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-07-01
"what has happcncd?" qucricd Elmer,

"what has happcncd?" qucried Elmer,
arising In alarm.
"Youf grandfather. He's acting queer
~. And. say! your mother has found out
what he's been up to for couple Of
months back"
"Whnt?''
Fourth Of July. It looks as IL he got
the idea In his head that he wanted to
| celebrate, and has been working to that
| end right along"
'lIow do you know?" asked Elmer.
"Your mother says 10. You know the
| old smoke house In your yard! Well, he's
used that as q stOrehOusc for the little
parcels he's been bringing home"
"What were thcyY"
Powder. To-day he came home with
an old muskct. He's loaded II to the
brinl. and he's pacing up and down before
| the smokchOusc. He thinks It's the
Fourth already, and says as soon as he
gets through with the patriotic speech he's
making he's going to give Hillview such
Q salute as 1t never heard before"
'"Gracious: gasped Elmer. with a vivid
thrill Of apprehension.
| ''Gracious" II was, as he hurried home.
A crowd stood outside the fence. His
mother, with white, frightened face, was
vainly cndeav0rlng to get his grandfather
to return to the house.
| Old Seth CrOwne stood near the open
door Of the smokehOusc. and In strident
tones OF supported elOQuencc he was re-.
peatIng some patriotic school defamation
that had returned to bis memory after
many years.
"First In peace" he roared. and struck
a match.
"Grandfathcr!" shouted Elmer. rushing
up.
"First In war"'-and old Seth lit a pa.
per.
Elmer changed his run to q spring. He
was pretty near his aged relative now.
And first In the hearts Of his country.
mon!'-and the old man with 4 huxxa
flung the lighted paper inside the smoke
house door.
Boom!
The next two minutes were kind Of
chaos for Elmer Crowne. He was con
scIous Of q mighty Aare. a deafeninE OK
plosion. Of grabbing the old man, OF tum'
bling. rolling. running with him.
Then, blackencd, shocked. startled, b
looked around.
The conclusion had blown several boyl
Oh the fence. had shattered half doser
windows In the cottage near BY.
Tho sm0kehouxe was no more. Piecei
OF boards were scattered for 6fty feel
around. No one was hurt.
ut was q great-a great salute, ehY
fecbly chucklcd the old man.
Some boys were cnrlOusly inspecting o.
old trunk that had been blown from The
attic OF the structure.
They kicked over some old rags ant
papers. Then one OF them, unkn0tting Z
twisted. ancient silk handkerchief, ut
tered quick cry as there fell out grea
roll OF bills.
Mrs. Crownc darted forward. She rec
ognixcd the handkerchief. 1t had belong
ed to her dead husband.
And here was money! They counted !
--twenty.threc hundred dollars.
The lost money had come to light. Wh'
had hidden IL? Mr.. CrOwne? His faith
ery At all events, 1t had come to light IL
! time to send Elmer TO college, to brini
brightness into two other lives besides
his own. and old Seth vaguely seemed t.
realize that. after all. he had done grea
thing by his witlcss celebration.
The story soon got about town. 1t wal
only the third Of the month, but then ant
there excited juvenile Hillview followed
up the grand initial salute fired by oil
Seth CrOwne, by starting In the Fourth O
July twenty-fOur hours ahead Of time.