Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-06-26

July speechmaking and picnic in Jack
sons grove, and she said no, while
Marrock, who was chief orator of the |
day, girded up his loins and strove
nightly, being determined to shake
down the stars.
The elders of Smith county celebrat-
ed the Fourth of July in the old-fash-
toned way. Patriotism was as ram
pant out there as it had been in the
older sections of the country fifty
years before. They had no use for
methods of rejoicing.
What their fathers had believed was
good enough for them. They appoint.
ed regular committee to see that the
thing was properly done.
Thus 1t happened that in Jackson's
grove large lumber stand was erect
ed on which the elders might sit. the
county trustees, the village trustees,
the school trustees, the county Judge,
the clerk of the court, the schoolmas-
ter and so forth. Item-there was
smaller stand for the Smithville band,
which was strong and earnest, though
little crude. 1tem-an open space in
the front of the big stand reserved for
the readers and speakers. Item-a
larger stand to the right, reserved for
the young ladies who should imper-
senate the States. Item-a large space
on the ground to one side reserved for
the fire-crackers, catharine wheels and
what not. Long rough boards laid on
trestles served as tables for the din
ers. There was any quantity of spring
water, ginger pop and coffee as pot
ables, but no whisky nor beer. Smith
vile was moral community.
1t was cloudless day. A thousand
people were in the grove. From far
down the dirt road came the oom-
pah, oom-pah of the laboring band.
AS it grew nearer an occasional bar
of "The Star-Spangled Banner" be-
came audible. Behind it rode the dig
nitaries in open carriages. most OF
them with grizzled whiskers, showing
the yellowish stains Of tobacco-juice
Back of them came the principal fea
ture of the procession, three farm
wagons metamorphosed into triumph
al chariots by the aid Of red, white and
blue calico and flowers and filled with
forty-four gaily dressed young women
impersonating the commonwealth OF
this glorious Union. They were flushed
with the ride and in more than one
instance their diadems mad been Jared
crooked, but were happy and proud
In their front was Claudia in gown
cut a la Greek, holding sceptre and
wearing a pasteboard crown golden
gilt and bearing papier-mache
shield. She was columbia" Behind
the wagons at slow pace came the
faithful James in his buggy.
The grove reached, the band
climbed to it's stand, the dignitaries tc
the center platform, the girls to theil
platform. The bands leader puffed
out his chest, faced the gaping crowd
swung his baton and the instruments
crashed into "My Country, IT'S Of
Thee" half tone fiat. The people
plunged into the tune half a tone
sharp. The trees trembled, but did not
fall. The folks liked their singing sc
much that they encored the band and
sang the last verse over again.
Alcibiades Curtius Dickson, county
clerk, lantern-jawed man with g
voice like foghorn, read the Declare
ton of independence through to the
bitter end, rolling out the sonorous
syllables and pausing soulfully at the
end of each sentence. Eliphalet Abso
lom Rawlins, county Judge, rose tc
introduce the orator of the day, an6
spoke for three-quarters of an hour
touching upon Bunker Hill and the
state of the crops, tossing handful
of bouquets to George Washington
and Thomas Jefferson, devoting five
minutes of thunderous denunciatior
to Benedict Arnold and winding w
with a glorious burst over the result
of the Spanish war. Marrok ran his
fingers through his hair and glared al
him. Finally he got his chance.
Now this young man in the seclu
sion Of his law office had been reading
a lot of cheap literature and worrying
himself by thinking that he was think
ing. The result was that his skull had
become filled with lot Of
things that he thought were
ideas and he felt called upon tc
express them. Once started he die
not reck of unpopularity and forgot
all about the girl. His talk was fiery
fluent occasionally eloquent. When he
got out of breath he ran his hand
through his hair and took a drink OF
water from small white pitcher that
stood near.
He said that they had sold their
birthright for q mess of pottage; that
the Money Devil had them by the
threats; that the rich were getting
richer and the poor poorer;
that their legislators were
bought; that discomfort gnawed
at the vitals of the land; that con-
scienceless aristocracy of wealth had
grown up; that republican simplicity
was at discount; whittier were they
drifting? They were drifting to revo.
,ution. What would be its end? Pos.