The Yale expositor., 1905-06-30
CHE BUDDED
ON THE FOURTH


place. I'VE shall be very quiet" she
wrote. YOU mustn't expect any gay
city. There will be no one here OK
cent the members of our family. Sorry
I can't have young lady for you, but
don't want the trouble OF one
The Clifford children were Grace and
Charlie. When l had last seen them,
Grace was n sweet little girl seven or
eight years of AEGEAN ethereal child
whom an artist would choose for spir-
ituelle model purposes. Charlie was
three years younger. What luck for
me, this opportunity to turn my back
on the cracking, booming city and
spend the day with this quiet family.
When l arrived-in time for dinner
on the evening of the 3D. was re-
minded how time flies. Grace Clifford,
though she still wore her dresses quite
short, was as tall as she was likely
to be. Charlie was nearly fifteen
Grace seemed to have retained her
childish gentleness, and Charlie also
seemed a quiet retiring boy, deyot-
cd, so his mother told me, to books.
OF single cracker, the children 80
wen behaved that neither of them
spoke during the meal. Indeed /, be-
ing young man considerably under
thirty, remembering that Grace must
be eighteen, felt inclined to have some
words with her, especially as she was
very pretty. But she maintained her
reserve in presence OF the father and
mother ut table and after dinner. l
saw her no more during the evening
The next morning l was awakened
by the spiteful snap Of flrecracker.
turned over and slept again. was
awakened by second snap this time
to stay awake. 1 felt under my pillow
for my watch and noted the time-6
o'clock. had been told that breakfast
would be Mt o. -Four hours interval,
and felt hungry. l must get another
nap. l shut my eyelids and resolved
that 1 would sleep despite the daylight
streaming In at my window. / was
doing of when there came another
crack-not a good round noise, but
spiteful, malicious, malignant little
snap, not big enough to fully awaken
me, but TO disturb the slumber into
which l was drifting. I continued to
keep my eyes closed tightly, hoping to
fall asleep, but there came a succession
Of cracks IN monotonous regularity and
volume. I covered ~. ears with the
sheet and persevere1 My Efforts were
Of no avail. The contemplate snRPs
CONTINUED, and ut lastd gave up, open
cd yy eyes and looked at the'window.
l saw little brass cannon resting on
room opened. A hand projecting from
q coat sleeve, with lighted match, was
thrust forYard'to touch off the cannon,
but the, fame was blown out by the
wind before it reached the vent.
waited and watched. Another match
was tried and failed. Then a BIT Of
lighted firecracker was tried, and this
time the wrist of the hand that held it
wore q bracelet ] also heard u glrl's
giggle. The cannon was fired.
1t was still but half past O'Clock.
Should / endure this annoyance or
make an attempt to stop it? l got up
and, looking into the hail, saw the door
Of bedroom opposite standing open.
I want in, closed the door, threw myself
on the bed and succeeded in getting
few minutes slumber before being
called. Meanwhile / presume the chill
dren kept on with their firing, suppos-
ing they were annoying Inc. At break
fast Grace looked demure enough for
nunnery. I made no reference to my
discovery.
The children kept their crackers ex-
ploding all the morning. II went on
to the front piazza they came with
them there. If l went to the back
piazza they also changed for my new
position. We dined at 1 O'Clock, and
after dinner l sought the library for
q nap expected to hear more crack
era, but / did not. l was dozing OF
when an immense bee came tumbling
on to my nose. made a frantic grasp
for it and failed. 1 settled myself
again, and again came the bee. This
time 1 saw that it was q bit of paper
hanging by a thread to stick. I shut
my eyes and pretended to sleep. The
bee climbed all over my nose, but 1
paid no attention to il. Finally I
snoFed. Out OF the corner Of my eye
l saw Grace Clifford steal softly from
behind screen with plant sprayer
in her hand. Reaching forward, she
gave me it's contents. Almost before
the water reached me / sprang up,
seized her in my arms and covered her
face with kisses.
"Lct me go or I'll call papaV' she
cried, struggling vigorously.
"Call as loud as you like"
you're not a gentleman"
"Nor are you lady"
Glow dare you say that to meY
"No lady would fire a brass cannon
under guests window TO keep him
Awake"
She gave a spasmodic giggle.
"Or sting his nose with bumblc-
bee"
Another giggle.
snow, I've taken the kisses to pay