Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-06-28

bell-because that little old sexton,
Sandy Movie, is too lazy, L suppose"
Truman Bluford, generally known
among his comrades as True Blue, was
excitedly announcing this dismal news
to Rob Tripp and Tenney Cole, in his
fathers store.
There's no patriotism in Cl,erryfield.
They've all forgotten how our fathers.
fought and bled," said Rob Trip, 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 a
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 a little too ready to dc
mischief, but the boys were generally
ready to follow where True led the way.
1--WE 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 Cherryfield
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
| ing something about it afterward. 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 bewitched! They'd blame Sandy
Movie for not being on the watch, too.
It 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 a
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 any know.
ing how joke may turn out, my fine
fellows! You're fixing a Fourth OF
July celebration for yourselves that1
be more than You bargained for, if Tn
not mistaken"
The boys went on, all unconsciou.
that Sandy Movie had been listener
to the conversation that was certainl,
not intended for his ears.
1T would be good thing if we could
. get into the church without breaking ,
, window" said Tenney Cole. There
little Rose Movie now. Let's ask he,
) where her father keeps the key"
Hanging on nail in the closet. un
, der his coat" replied the little girl, OF
, being questioned.
Couldn't you get it for us, Rosy, an,
J not let anybody know.it, if we gave yo,
: the greatest lot of candy you ever saw
5 and bunch of torpedoes for to-mor
1 row?"
Rosy was very small person, with
very large appetite for candy, to sa
|. nothing of strong desire to celebrat
with the proper amount of noise tn
. anniversary of her country's independ
ence- Her eyes grew big and roun
at the alluring prospect, and she nod
q Ided emphatically her Willingness to ur
dertake the errand. So 1t was settle
that she should bring them the ke
: that night, after her father had hun
IMP his cost in the closet. so there woul