The Leon reporter., 1902-07-03

ages OF nre-CraCkerS WIN far less
thought that one Of the wealthiest
among them would have struck a
match. And when it was all over, when
the last red flame had faded out of the
sky, the last pin-wheel had spit out its
spiteful little life, the last bunch of
fire-crackers popped and danced over
the singed and trampled lawn, Arnold
walked home alone through the woods,
carrying the burnt end of single
cracker tightly clutched in his hand.
After all had he not been right
when he told Milly that all this cele-
bration was noise and fury, signify
ing nothing?" She had boasted to him
that Mr.. Lounsbery would bring hun
dred dollars worth of fireworks from
the city to voice the patriotism of the
neighborhood. And her boast had
been made good. A hundred dollars!
Why, that was more than he was to
get for the three months term of
teaching in the Randall district school,
A hundred dollars! What could he
not have done with the money that
had been consumed in an evening, FOL
the glory of patriotism? He thought
of the long, dreary struggle behind
him, and the dark, dreary, tedious
days ahead and a great bitterness
clutched at his heart and an unfamil-
lar oath rose in his throat and de-
manded that he give it tongue. Wha.
was all this boasted liberty if it
brought nothing to one and so much TO
another? Why should this young coun
try boy be favored by fate so that the
best positions in great city were his
for the asking, while he, the student,
the scholar, the man with real pur-
pose and high aim, was left to win
his way among such hopeless surround
ings? Hopeless, indeed. For she who
had wakened in his heart new aspira-
tions, made even the frowning future
bright with promise, she had turned
from him with scarcely word to Join
in the praise and adulation that was
showered upon the successful man of
the world.
She was heartless. He was sure of
that now, and it was we'll that he had
found no opportunity during the bustle
of the day and evening to give her the
written declaration he had found it i'm.
possible to make in spoken words. A,
least he was saved the humiliation OF
a refusal. Let it be burned with all
the other useless things of the day.
He ran his hand into his pocket. 1t
was empty. The letter he had penned
in fever of hope and despair was
gone. He must have dropped it on the
lawn. The thought of some one find
ing and reading it brought the blush
to his cheek and sent him back over
the fields with impatient strides. He
left the beaten path and climbing the
snake fence that divided the pasture
land from the orchard hurried forward
in the shadow of the trees. AS he
came out upon the lawn white bit of
paper cleaning in the dew-wet grass
caught his eye and he sprang forward
and eagerly caught it up 1t was the
envelope that had held mis- letter, but
it had been opened and the letter was
gone.
1t is said that every man has one
murder in his heart which he will be
ready to commit if the proper moment
arrives. To the great majority this
moment never presents itself; only
one in ten thousand is therefore forced
to face the gallows. Whether this be
true or not it was fortunate that the
person so suddenly to face the young
schoolmaster at that moment was be.
yond the power of his hands. A man
would have to be a devil indeed to,
wish harm to fine young woman with
the fresh color of the country on her
checks, the light of roguery in her
eyes and the moonlight clothing her as
a garment. And then if she laugh
| merrily and the next instant throw
her arms about his neck and tell him
he is IAN old goose" he isn't likely to
wish harm to his worst enemy.
II read your letter all through, you
silly old thing, and there isn't word
of truth in it. If there was l should
be caught up to heaven rnls minute.
You were awfully scared when you
found some one had opened it? Oh, I
could see your eyes flash even in the
|
heard you; don't deny it, That's what
decided me. Up to that time / was
afraid you were too good to be human.
There's just one thing more you must
do before I'll promise not to refuse
you. You've got to admit that the
Fourth of July is the grandest day in
the year and promise to celebrate it
like true American every year with
real fire-crackers.'
! 81 shall always hold the day sacred
in my heart, dearest" he said, solemn
ly. "It has brought me"
Slavery, sir, slavery. But, there,
I'll try to make your chains as light
as possible, and-Frank, love you
better than all the rockets in the
world"
Sz7zzy2H 49,
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