The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-06-29

Sandy McNie, is too lazy, | suppose"
Truman Bluford, generally known
among his comrades as True Blue, was
eXcitedly announcing this dismal news
TO Rob Trip and 1enney Cole, in his
fathers store.
There's no patriotism in Cherryfield.
They've all forgotten how our fathers
fought and bled." said Rob Tripp, who
liked to read nothing but stories of bat
tie, and meant to fight something when
he grew up, if it were only Indians.
sit will be as still as Sunday, | know
What is the Fourth of July, without n
racket" said Tenney Cole, dejectedly.
II 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, il 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.
''EIow could we get into the church ?''
asked Tenney Cole, who was of a prac-
lical turn of mind.
Break in, of course" replied True,
coolly. 'You can't expect to have all
that fun without-Well, without hear
Ing something about it after'vard. We
could break a window in the porch; and
when we once got hold of the rope,
wouldn't we make people think the bell
was bewitehed! They'd blame Sandy
Movie for not being on the watch, too.
1t would be a good joke on the old ras-
cal He's got us into enough trouble by
telling of us"
Trues 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 a
gallon of molasses, arose Sandy McNie.
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 any know
ing how joke may turn out, my fine
fellows! You're fixing Fourth of
July celebration for yourselves thatll
be more than you bargained for, if I'm
not mistaken
The boys went on, all unconscious
that Sandy McVie had been a listener
to the conversation that was certainly
not intended for his ears.
ut would be good thing il we could
get into the. church without breaking a
window" said Tenney Cole. There's
little Rose McNie now. Let's ask her
where her father keeps the key"
Hanging on a nail in the closet. un-
der his coat" replied the little girl, on
being questioned.
Couldn't you get ii for us, Rosy, and
not let anybody know it, if we gave you
the greatest lot of candy you ever saw
and IA bunch of torpedoes for to-mor-
row?"
Rosy was very small person, with a
very large appetite for candy, to say
nothing of a 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 alfuring prospect, and she nod,
ded emphatically her willingness to un.
dertake the errand. So il 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
be no danger that he would go there
again and discover the absence of the
key.
That afternoon Sandy Movie and his
son, a stout lad of is, paid a visit to III,
church. Archie, the son, came out
looking very warm and tired.
"Better have let them do it, and ther
make them smart for il, than to take
all that trouble" he grumbled. "Ol
Just give their fathers hint of wha
they are up to-"
"Since they are so fond of jokes, In
willing they should have bit of one,
said the sexton, rubbing his hands
gleefully. They'll catch il fast enough
for breaking the church window"