Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-07-04

L
ing to visitor. "And
don't know but she'll be too fine to
speak to her own folks when she's
rugged out in all her new things. SIN,
don't begrudge her the things. She's
worked real faithful pickin' strawber-
rles and doing all sorts of chores to pay
for what she's to have. She's good
girl, LOUSY Is"
But has she ever sung in public be-
foreY
Shes never sung solo all by her
self except ut one or two little Sunday
school concerts. | don't know how 1t
will be when she finds herself Oh the
platform facing the big Fourth OF
July crowd"
"Oh, she'll get through 1t all right
I've heard that she sings beautiful
ly."
"Well, don't know but she does
sing about as well as you could expect
girl Of only fifteen to sing. It's kind
OF curious; l can't sing no more than
bluejay, and when her pa tries 1T the
hens scatter in terror. She gets 1t
from her Grandfather Hatfield, over in
Ware. He'll be seventy-five come the
tenth Of next month, and he'll sit down
to little organ he's got and sing
away by the hour. He's coming clear
over from Ware to hear LOUSY May
sing. He's goin' to leave her his or
gan in his will"
"a piano would be better for her."
"Yes, LOUSY Mays wild to have a
piano, but we can never get her one
with five younger children to rear up
and school. Her Grandpa Hatfield
mebbe could get her one; but l don't
know that he's able to- although he al
ways has been close -mouthed about his
money affairs. You'll be at the cele-
bration?"
"Oh, yes; we are all going. And
expect to hear LOUSY May beat 'em
ALL"
There the conversation ended, be-
cause a red-halred girl came hurriedly
into the sitting room. She blushed
furiOusly as she heard her name.
On the morning of the Fourth of July
Louisa May was very happy as she
stood before the small mirror In her
bed room and gave the last touches to
her toilet Her challis had made up
very prettily, and her mother had de-
lighted her by an unexpected gift of
a pretty pink ribbon sash. She had
never before had such beautiful hat,
and there was but one thing to detract
from her satisfaction with her APP
pearance.
"If only didn't have such mop of
red hair" she said to the mirror. "If
it was mOuse-colOred, like Amanda
Danes. or regular brindle like Lucy
Trent's, l shouldn't care. But red! 1t
isn't as red as 1t used to be, though,
and shall wear my hat while sing
that will hide it a good deal"
There had been few holidays in Lou
lisa Mays life, and never one so full of
promise of pleasure as this She had
been to the village the day before to
rehearse her song with Miss Hope, who
was to play the accompaniment on the
organ, and Miss Hope had said that
Louisa sang beautifully. She had
very clear and strong voice, and she
said to her mother as they drove to-
ward the grove, II don't feel bit ner-
vOus or afraid now"
She did, however, feel little ner-
vOusswhen her turn to sing came, and
she found herself on the platform be-
fore the audience that filled every part
Of the grove. The Chairman Of the
day stepped forward and said:
1--WE will now listen to solo, THE
Star Spangled Banner by Miss Louisa
May Hatfield"
At this some of the Grand Army
men set up shout, and Louisa May
walked to the FROM of the platform
with the large silk flag she was to
hold while she sang
The applause died away and the or
ganist had just begun to play the pre-
Jude, when boy shouted shrllly:
RED head! Red head! Better look
out or the fireworks will catch"
Louisa Mays pink cheeks grew pal
lid. She opened her lips, but no sound
came from them. She was trembling
from head to foot. The flag fell from
her hand down over the edge Of the
platform. Then in an agony of EN-
barrassment she put both hands over
her face ad began to cry.
The boy VITO had called out RED
headw sudd' ally felt hand grip the
back Of his collar, and he was jerked