The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-12-10
The Twenty.Ons Club.

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the homestead. The Bartons are nu
merous and clanish. consequently they
gathered in strong force at the big
square white house on the site where
their great-grandfather, John Barton
built the first log cabin north Of the
Wishshinky.
Family reunions are nothing uncom-
mon with the Bartons, but there were
features that distinguished this party
from other affairs of the kind. Fol
one thing, it was Old Man Johns first
and last eightieth birthday. Then all
the John Bartons were present. John
is a good, solid, sensible name, and the
Bartons rather like it: there is Old
Man John, and John Junior, and John
third. and Little John, and Johnny
K, and Danville John, and John the
Blacksmith, not to mention John Bar
ton Todd and young Johnny X. Barton
Morton. But the great distinguishing
feature Of the party was the founding
OF the Twenty-One Club.
Old Man John was interested and
moved when he counted up and found
there were nine young men of the
Barton family who would attain their
majority before the year was out
It was at the time OF the Easter va
cation, and all of the nine happened to
be at the Homestead birthday party.
They were gathered into the big par
lor-thres young farmers, Harvard
junior, a medical student, law stu
dent, a musician, telegraph operator
and a drug clerk-all trying to look
dignified and unconscious as grand
fathers, uncles, cousins slapped them
on the back and called them fine young
roosters, and joked about beardless
cheeks and mustaches like the down
of half-hedged pigeon.
mine new votes for the straight
Democratic ticket!" said John Junior,
who was a member OF the state legis-
lature. That ought to turn the scale
in Christopher county next fall"
Il tell you it makes the old mans
heart big with pride TO see SO many
fine young shoots around the parent
tree" said Old Man John in his loud,
hearty tones. "The older generation
is nothing but half-dead branches
hanging on until a gust of wind snaps
them off; and it is a comfort to know
there is plenty of sound, sappy, heart
whole Barton timber coming on
good American timber, too, the sort
the government needs for props" Old
Man John had been lumberman in
his day, SO he used lumberman's
figures.
They were talking in that way, guy
ing, flattering and applauding the
foolish-looking young men, when
pretty, brown-haired girl stood beside
Old Man Johns chair, her eyes bright
and saucy.
II. too, will be twenty-one soon,
she cried gayly. Next
Fourth of July, the nations birthday.
Why do you not call me promising
young sapling?-a birch sapling?"
The old man squeezed the plump
little hand of the merry young school
ma am, his fayorite grandchild, and
told her she was a moss rose, honey
suckle and rare white lily. The boys,
to find themselves no longer
The center Of interest, laughed teasing
y- and told their cousin she was only
1 girl and had better pass herself off
Is a minor as long as she could-her
coming of age amounted to nothing,
'or she would have no vote any way;
she could never be an American SOW
srcign and help rule 90,00O,000 Of peo-
pie through the ballot box. the glory
ind the pride and the sacred re-
'ponsibility of citizenship were not for
Ter.
Pretty Marian, secure in the ad-
and loyal allegiance due her
IS the only young lady in a family
,urdened with so many bothersome
md ungainly young males, did not
mind the laughter and teasing in the
east. But when the misguided Har-
ard student adopted a patronizing
one and hinted that she was new
voman and intended to assert her
quality at the polls as well as in the
natter of birthdays, Marian stood up
cry straight, with slight flush on her
heeks.
NO, l do not want to vote-not
et,' she said calmly. 81 fear it
hight be taken for granted that l
ave no ideas OF my own and might
e counted upon to walk up like a
heep and vote the straight Demo-
ratio ticket just because the Bartons
sually belong to that party.
NO." she went on, without notic-
lg the laughter and applause, Il
1uld not consider myself fitted for
le glory and the pride and the sacred
of citizenship while /
pasted OF a better acquaintance with
le formation Of the ancient Greek
,publics than with the constitution
ld political history of the United
-ates."
The Harvard man fell back and
'ew in his breath sharply as a sign
lat he had been hit; but the little
hool teacher went on undisturbed
Id it was the good-iooking drug clerk
no clapped his hand to his heart at
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