Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-06-30

bell-because that little old sexton,
Sandy Movie, is too lazy, I suppose"
Truman Bluford, generally known
among his comrades as True Blue, was
Z excitedly announcing this dismal news
to Rob Trip and Tenney Cole, in his
fathers store.
There's no patriotism in Cherryfield.
They've all forgotten how orr fathers.
fought and bled,'' said Rob Trip, who
liked to read nothing but stories of bat
tie, and meant to fight something when
he grewsup, if it were only Indians.
1T will be as still as Sunday, 1 know.
What is the Fourth of July, without
racket" said Tenney Cole. dejectedly.
Il tell you, boys, something ought to
be done!" said True.
That was what the boys liked about
True. He was always ready to do some
thing. Older people were inclined to
think he was little too ready to dc
mischief, but the boys were generally
ready to follow where True led the way.
I'VE might ring the church bell,'' said
True.
That wasn't much to do, Rob thought;
= it sounded rather tame. Still, it would
be fun to wake the stupid Cherryfeld
people out of the maps which they had
no business to be having on Fourth of
July morning, and startle the select
men, who had decided that there should
be no ringing of bells.
How could we get into the church ?'
asked Tenney Cole, who was of prac-
teal turn of mind.
Break in, of course" replied True,
coolly. You can't expect to have all
that fun without-well, without hear
could break Il window in the porch; and
when we once got hold of the rope,
wouldn't we make people think the bell
was bewitched! They'd blame Sandy
Movie for not being on the watch, too.
1t would be good joke on the old ras-
cal. He's got us into enough trouble by
telling of u.s.
True's father was coming from the
back part of the store, so the boys low
cred their voices and walked quietly
out at the door; while behind the coun-
ter. from the STOPPING posture in which
he had been measuring for himself
gallon of molasses, arose Sandy Movie.
He looked after the boys, with all the
shrewd little wrinkles in his face draw
ing themselves up into hard knots.
"A good joke on the old rascal, eh?''
he mUttered. There's never anv know
ing how joke may turn out, my fine
fellows! You're fixing n Fourth of
July celebration for yourselves that'll
be more than you bargained for, if I'm
not mistaken"
Ehe boys went on, all unconscious
that Sandy .McVie had been a listener
TO the conversation that was certainly
not intended for his ears.
1T would be a good thing if we could
get into the church without breaking n
window" said Tenney Cole. There's
little Rose Movie now. Let's ask her
where her father keeps the key"
Hanging on a nail in the closet, I'M
der his coat" replied the little girl. on
being questioned.
Couldn't you get it for us. Rosy. and
not let anybody know it, if we gave YOU
the greatest lot of candy you ever saw,
and bunch of torpedoes for to-mor-
row?''
Rosy was very small person. with a
very large appetite for candy, to say
nothlng OF q strong desire to celebrate
with the proper amount of noise the
anniversary of her country's independ-
ence. Her eyes grew big and round
at the alluring prospect, and she nod
ded emphatically her willingness to I'M
dertake the errand. So it was settled
that she should bring them the KEY
that night, after her father had hung
up his coat in the closet. so there would