The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-05
On the Nations Natal Day
BY II. s. cANFlELD.

bf Il. $. CANE tEGD.
 Copyright, 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Co)
 Paul Marrock. who loved Claudia Van- aiaster, was young lawyer of Smith viiie,7 Smith County la. Like other young lawyers. he wore his hair something longer than fashion demanded, brushed It straight back to show his. forehead, practiced oratory. a good deal and had QreamsX X0f :fhe United States Congress. lie was of good habits and in good prac ffrss gthb ught with an inborn tendency to be cratic, and felt himself well able to marry
 James Bowen who loved Claudia Van alaster, was commonly called Jim ' which Is to say. that he was freckied, sturdy, straightforward and good-hu- mored. He owned his fathers farm, ran 1t on the diversified crops system, loved animals. drove good horse and had money in the bank.
 Very open and unwily was Jim" He did not expect to win the girl. but wooed her in his own earnest fashion, and If she preferred another ne was prepared to wish her joy and get over his trouble in the best way he could.
 Claudia Vanalaster, who loved neither of them-or. if she did, knew nothing about t-was the daughter of a merchant. gray-eyed, peach-cheeked plump, grace full, pretty. good. and fond of admira- ton. She was a graduate of the Enos- vile Young Ladies' Seminary, played the piano little, painted little, knew little needlework, spoke French with the Enosville accent and was quite the coun- ty belle.
 So Jim" Bowen asked her bashfully if he might drive her to the Fourth of July speechmaking and picnic in Jackson's grove. and she said no. while Marrock. who was chief orator of the day, girded up his loins and stroye nightly, being determined to shake down the stars.
 The elders of Smith County celebrated the Fourth Of July fin the old-fashioned dry1 nFrnVa Qgtf 1Ft there as 1t had lleen in the older sections of the country fifty years before. They had no use for new-fangled methods of rejoicing. What their fathers had be- appointed regular committee to see that the thing was properly done.
 Thus it happened that in Jackson's s grove a large lumber stand was erected trustees, the school trustees, the. village clerk of the court, the school master and so forth. Iten,-there was a which was strong and earnest. though a little trude. Item-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 impersonate the States. little crude. 1tem-an open space in the side reserved for the fire-crackers, cath arine wheels and what not. Long rough DoardS Iald on treStles served as tables fog the dinner. There was any quantity of spring water, ginger pop and coffee as potables, but no whisky nor beer. Smithville was moral community.
 It was cloudiess day. 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 became audible. Behind 1t rode the dignitaries in open carriages most of them with grizzled whiskers, showing the yelowish stains of tobacco-juice. Back of them came the principal feature. of the procession. three farm wagons metamor- phosed into triumphal ehariots by the aid of red, white and blue calico and flowers and filled with forty-four gaily dressed young women impersonating the com monwealths of this glorious Union. They were flushed with the ride and in more than one instance their diadems had been jarred crooked, but were happy and proud. In their front was Claudia in a gown cut a Ia Greek, holding a sceptre and wearing a pasteboard crown golden gilt and bearing a paper-mache shield. She was "Colunbia." Behind the wagons at a slow pace came the faithful James in his buggy.
 The grove reached. the band climbed to its stand; the disnitaries to the center platform, the girls to their platform. The bands leader puffed out his chest, faced the gaping crowd, swung his baton and