The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1905-07-01
OCEAN MERED|TH'S FOURTH
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

~ CEAN MEREDITH had always
III " lived In large city. She was
~ patriotic lassie, and every year on
the Fourth of July she used to decorate
the house with flags, play yankee Doc
die" and all manner of patriotic tunes
on the old piano, and then, dressed in
patriotic colors, with flag in her hat,
one pinned to her dress and one in her
hand. 20 to some of the several celebra-
tons of the day.
This year Ocean was away from the
city, in a little town where it was quiet
er at noon that it used to be at midnight
In her city home. Ocean rather liked 1t.
She thought that when the procession
went by on the Fourth of July she could
see the whole of 1t, and not be crowded
by so many hurrying people.
As Ocean became acquainted with the
boys and girls in the little town she ask
ed them what they did on the Fourth;
but they were shy of the city girl, and
she could not find out much about 1t.
The day before the holiday Ocean was
very busy all day.
what are you up to, lassieT asked
her mother.
"I'm getting all ready for tomorrow
mother"
at will not be the same here, dear,
that ii was at home"
But we're Americans, aren't we
mother? They'll celebrate, won't theyT
81 suppose they will, child"
Oceans home was on the principa
street of the sleepy little town. WheI
the people woke up on the morning o.
the Fourth, what should they see bu
Gags waving from the four front Window
, of the Merediths' little cottage, the post
, of the porch twined with bunting, ant
the red. white and blue wound about tn
, trunks of the trees just within the pal
| ing fence. Before the morning dew wa
off the grass, there on the porch wa
Ocean herself, sweet little vision l
white. with red and blue ribbons in he
= ,hair and around her waist, and wee nag
floating from either shoulder Some pas
ing children stared at her and at tn
house She ran out to the gate sever'
times. and peered eagerly up and dow
the street. There was not flag in sign
nor a sound of fife and drum. The
Ocean found her way teartully to n'
busy mothers side.
"Don't you think, mother, if the
orandfathers had been soldiers, and the
brothers had belonged to the volunteer
they'd celebrater
~ think they would, Ocean, dear.
"Mother, may l celebrateT
Oceans bmother always let her lit
GIRL do anything that was right, so 81
said yes" and thought no more abo
a In half an hour there stood beto
ber a little soldier lassie, with CT
nerched on her curls and a drum slui
over her shoulders. "Tm going to ce
brate. mother; just can't stand III!
"All right, sweetheart. Have as go
time as YOU can. Perhaps we can ha
little picnic in the woods this att'
noon."
The people of the town heard [
sound of a drum, and peered out I'M
doors There. marching all alone throu
,he dusty street, beating her drum as 4
hrothar had taught her, and singi
EsRoIlv Round the Flag, Boys" was
1 little girl in white. D..
Il "For gracious sake!" cried Tom feu
4 son. an old member of the Grand Arm
4 oor,;ng out of his house to see. wv
i are YOU doing, little one
j OCEAN saluted gravely. I'm celeor
Don't YOU know about the toul
bere3 My grandfather was so .Ili
Nv brother is one, too. l was Wa'eni
for the procession, but II uiun yoin
$50 YOU thought you'd eeieOra
IL Wal vow! See here, wife!
Ia Ocean waited while a woman IN
~honnet came out. Then the man |"
d. SUI the house and came back WIFI
Der ola afe and a tattered nag,
n. o'u st -" reckon your grandfather ana
on,rades. little one. Suppose
H. vour mother a bit. Ihen y"
Il Celebrate some more. .r
4 Oceans heart beat high as she "ai
The old soldiers side back u
q mothers gate - t;,,la
m .If you will let us have your h. III e
to for wkhlle, ma'am' we ! laAe 49, 80 -
me s ~. Actually we've forgotten no" -
,ad n ns., in this town. There ISL |"
-, - pa. I'm besides yours. It's sn az
un III M next thing Ocean kne" sue
eks tn IN state in tiny bit OF carr
ged sea- nv two ponies. In TINS, W. -
inc draw f~,snd beside her. she was "a
rec new honss 70 house. She hardy u"
ca , stood what was going on, ,a ou' with If a.
ter So. her carriage, decorated WIN
nours od-sized procession OF men
The Boys isS There we're nine old sG Theg
no. their nas hodvguard. The process
0ssshd up and down the quiet Pso s5s'
. singing ma Sags and streamers. 1t wa
Il 'pl wSsu the parade was hot t, and 5ct
II door, door. T anil. Of lemonade and a nea