Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-02

ness. as citizens of these United States"
 Her husband struck an attitude wor- thy of his position and replied: If the people coincide, Matilda. Now if were mayor instead of a president, things would move"
 Isn't president bigger than q mayor?" she asked.
 No; I rather think not when 1t comes to saying what's to be done''
 Well, 'Rastus, why don't they say Mayor, Roosevelt, then?" looking tri- umphant. This was poser for the chief executive of Northfield and he pretended not to hear.
 t'Pshaw!" continued Mrs. Powers, noticing her husbands brown study, t'who cares, so you don't forget the celebrations a real old timer where they read the Declaration of Inde- pendence all solemn like to remind peo- pie of their obligations. You won't let the opportunity slip, will you, dear ?'' she pleaded, the matter of precedence in authority forgotten altogether.
 Have the Declaration read, too; the rising generation don't know anything about the foundation of Liberty; nor with what struggling it came into ex- istence, nor even who signed it, per- haps."
 "The Declaration of Independence 7 observed MT. Powers, carefully doesn't make Fourth, no more than a spring chicken makes a, whole pie nic. And, after all, I can't imagine who would read 1t, now that the pro lessor is away
 ''The professor!' snorted Mrs 'Ras- tus; why can't the minister read it? He reads the Thanksgiving proclama- tions, and I guess the grand old docu- ment is as readable any day as they are, not redecting on the head of the nation, at all But" and she cogitat. ed moment-"our Margie can read It. for that matter; and Ben and Rena can sing the Star-Spangled Banner beautifully! Then there's their cousins, over at Phelps; they own the string band. We'll get them, and your Fourth's assured, 'Rastus."
 President Powers felt in his bones that the matter was really settling. but the drift of the partial outline struck him as being a monopoly.
 Tt might be objectionable he ven- turned, Ito make the programme a family affair."" Matilda
 'Humphi" she returned, warming up, "why should they object? We've waited a dozen years for the rest to move. Mercy! I don't believe the people here know even how many signed that won derfuI paper fixing the Fourth for all time"
 Well, Matilda" he answered, wear fly, it seems to me you are dead gone on the Declaration-''
 Don't be blasphemous, 'Rastus," she interpolated, you're the president of Northfield-''
 And" went on her husband, deaf to the interlude, ''I1l bet you $2O to 8 penny, if you dare, that not one coun- cilman can tell whether it was signed at all or not.''
 His wife fairly gasped with surprise and disdain. Do you mean to say that Northf1e1d has retrograded like that, Erastus Powers? Surely the l pagan ancestors are not far in the rsari"
 T was speaking of the town coun- 1 Gil, only" he answered as ii pronouGc- 1 ing sentence.
 Well, you tell them it was signed l by 56 of the biggest Fourth O July l men on earth at that time; our first congressman, too" And Mrs. Powers swept up and down l the apartment, very Goddess oi ! Liberty
 The town council met that evening and the president was commissioned l by the powers behind the throne to "see to it" Very ably did he "sug- l gest," and mention the natter" and before he was aware they were all wonderfully enthused. He could almost hear Ben and Rena's 70, Say Can You See, etc. as he drummed thoughtfully on his desk
 We must have an orator of the day." broke in Houseman, the man oi