The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-08-05

without givin his secret away. There
was great deal of curiosity durin the
day. Some thought the sQuar had a
balloon ascension in view in order to
attract public attention to our new
cooper shop, and others had it that he
had found a way to dodge the state
tax, but it was all guesswork. There
was tremendous crowd on hand
when eYenin came. and the squar went
around rubbin his hands together and
sInlin all over his face. When he had
got the crowd worked up to the pitch
where everybody wanted to die fur
liberty, he called the meetin to order
and said:
I "Feller freemen of Jericho, we hev
here beautiful town, a salubrious eli
mate and a populashun to be proud Of
We hev the best of water. the lowest
of taxes and skassly any use fur doc
tors. We Eev the telephone, electric
<loorbells and a town pump. A stran-
ger would look around him and say we
needed nuthin else. But we do. and
that is why l hev called you together
here tonight. We need jest one thing
more TO put Jericho on the pinnacle.
and that is Il brass band"
4 BY John, but he's made q pint"
said Deacon SpOoner as he whacked on
the counter with his cane. Yes, sir,
Jericho needs n brass band to boost
her, and I'm with the squar. Let us
hear what Moses Hopkins has to say
about it,"
"As | take it, said Moses, "a brass
band plays tunes, and I'd like to know
tn advance what sort of tunes this
band is goin to play. If it's goin to
play The Sweet By and By then I'm
III fur band If it's goin to play hi
diddle-diddle tunes. then I'm ag'in it,
That's pint as fur as it goes" said
tho deacon, "but it don't go fur huff.
lEnos Williams. you was in the hog
buyin bizness fur 20 years, and you
ought to know about brass bands.
What d'you think of the idea"
, THAT depends" said Enos. 81 don't
go much on a brass band that toots it's
wind all over town and wastes it on
the air. If we had a band that would
come down to the depot to meet me as
e come in from Tarrytown, l think I'd
kind Of like It,"
"By John. but he's right. and he's
male q pint" shouted the deacon.
II II don't see the pint" said Squar
johnson as he colored up. "Why should
our brass band go down to the depot to
welcome a man who hain't never done
anything in particular fur Jericho?
lEnos is a good huff man in his way,
but did th. outside world ever hear of
him? Was he consulted about buildin
itae new sewer or paintin the town
hall? Has he ever laid awake nights
@esAakinr how this town could be boosted
to the top?"
"Enos, he's knocked your pint out
and made one ag'in you" said the dea-
con, ''but we'll hear from some of the
rest How is it with you, JabeZ Fow'
lerT'
II can't exactly say till know what
the band is goin to do" replied Jabez
''My old woman is mighty fond OF
brass band tunes which lift up the
tbeels. and if the bandit come over tt
my house three times week and give
us sunthin lively I'll chip in"
"Mebbe I'm mistaken in this crowd
said the squar as he looked around il
serious way. "Mebbe this is a crowC
eomposed of freeborn Americans whose
korefathers fought at Bunker Hill, ant
nebbe it's made up of men who'd stea
the statue of Liberty and sell it fur ol'
Junk To say that / am astonishet
does not half express my feelin's."
That sellin the statue of Liberty 1
D pint, and a strong one." said tn
deacon, but what we want is fre
expreshun of opinion. Jube Hornbeck
er looks as If he wanted to say sun
thin"
"rd like to ask the sQuar," said Jub