The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-09-19

should be the "howlingest" in the his
tory of the town.
But when the members of the COM
mittee were finally within their own
doors two-thirds of them learned that
they had counted too much ON their
family authority, for Sam Howtree and
Virginia Runnels issued declarations of
independence of their own and stoutly
refused to assume the parts assigned
to them.
"You know 1 can't speak in public"
said Sam to his father. '1've never
raised my voice in town meetin' or ex-
perience meetin' or any other kind of
meetin'."
''You was the best speaker in all the
school exhibitions in your day." replied
his father. II thought so myself at the
time, an today old jeff Runnels up an
said so without bein' asked"
"That's different from spoutin' the
Declaration" said Sam. Besides, I
hadn't enough sense to hold my tongue
in those days"
''Well, can't you make b'lieve you're
in the same fix now, just for few
minutes, on the Fourth?'
II don't know how to read the Decla-
ration anyhow" Sam continued. 81
never heard it we'll DONE"
"Didn't, eh? Well, reckon that's my
fault, an I'll bring forth fruits meet
for repentance as soon as possible by
readin' it over to you a few times. l
read it from platforms lots of times
fore was as old as you be, an Judge
Simmons, him that afterward went to
congress an made great speeches, said
1 done it to the queens taste, though
what kind of taste the queen, of no
matter where, can have in a firebrand
like the Declaration is more than can
explain"
''It's no use, dad," said Sam. 81 back
out fiat footed
"Sho! If you won't, you won't,
s'pose. but I'm mighty sorry for it, for
that proud Runnels gal will be dead
sure that you was afraid to-"
"What's Virginia Runnels to do with
itY asked Sam after his brown cheek
had reddened.
"Oh, she goin' to be the Goddess of
Liberty an dress up in red, white an
blue an raise the stars an stripes on
the old pole at sun-up. She'll do it in
grand style too. Facts is facts, an I'm
as mad about some of 'em as anybody,
but Virginia Runnels is the splendidest
pattern of woman in this part of the
world, an l wouldn't miss sight of her
on the Fourth in that rig for-well, for
right smart rise in the price of wheat"
81 didn't s'pose she'd be willin' to
show off that away" said Sam, wiping
the perspiration from his brow, al
though the day had not been hot.
''Show off? There's no showin' off
about it. It's all to be before old friends
an neighbors an nobody else. There's
never any strangers in town ON holi-
day"
Again Sam wiped his brow; then he
struggled awhile with something in his
throat and said:
"My best clothes won't do for that
kind of a show. They're all right for
church, but when fellow has to stand
up an be looked at for matter of half
an hour, more or less, he ought to look
well, at least as good as a drummer
from the city in his ev'ryday clothes"
''That's fact an you shall look it,"
the old man replied, eff you'll read the
Declaration. You shall have a new
suit, like the dignifedest one in the
pictures on the tailor shop wall, an I'll
stand the expense, an you'll look
scrumptiouser than all the drummers
that ever come to Farway."
"You know I'm well enough off to
pay for my own Clothes" said Sam.
"a man that's past thirty years old
ought to-
''Tut, tut, sonny! The fact is I'm
goin' to fire the salutes that day, an
there's no knowin' whether I'll ever
have another Fourth on this side of
Jordan, so I'd like to make it as much
of family affair as possible"
"If you put it that way, you know
I'll do it, dad"
"Grandfathery" exclaimed Virginia
Runnels when told of the patriotic duty
assigned to her. "I-wrap flag
around me and stand ON a platform
before all Farway? Why, what will
the people say?
"Only what they've said thousand
times already" the old man replied as
he enjoyed the brilliancy and anima-
tion which sudden excitement had I'M
parted to his darlings beauty. They'll
say that you're the most glorious crea-
ture that's got loose from heaven in
long time"
"Don't be silly, grandfather! Oh, 1
simply can't, and won't make show
of myself on the Fourth
"If you won't" sighed the old man,
''you won't, l suppose, but it's gallin'
to think that stupid Sam Howtree,
who's to read the Declaration, will
think you backed out because he is to
be on the platform All the gals IL
think so too"
For a moment Virginia looked like n
goddess of the avenging species, but
soon she became herself again and de-
clared that the other girls were lot
of silly little gossips and Sam Howtree
wasn't stupid; he was only-she neg
lected to say what.
"His father is a man of correct taste,
anyway, an a gentleman BESIDES" said
Runnels, "for when l suggested that
the flag should be raised by Goddess
of Liberty in good old Virginia style
Howtree spoke up an said you We're
the only gal fit to play the goddess, an
he asked as favor that he might buy