The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-06-30
Me Declaration
of Independence

You Nave. all read the Declaration of
Independence. l suppose. 1t Is print
ed on fire type in the back of the
Child's History. and at the top of the
names signed at the end to show how
they wrote them is John Hancock's
big and bold, the way a person would
write If he We're dong 1t with a burnt
match. Papa used to gather us to-
gether In the parlor after breakfast
every Fourth Of July n read us parts
of it and explain the long words, so
that we would understand what the
Fourth OF July was really for-that 1t
wasn't just to burn holes in your
clothes. and brighten horses, and leave
stubs Of firecrackers on the sidewalk
that don get swept off for days. When
we children came to have our W rev.
Olution against the g~overneSs that time
m and papa went away to be
gone two days, we knew just how to
go about 1t: we wrote a Declar-
alton of Independence, copying 1t after
the real true one. and then we all sign
ed our names at the bottom with big
tlourishes. The way John Hancock and
the others did.
We thought with all our preparation
success was sure. just as the patriots
of &c We're successful as the reward
Of their daring. but alas!
Our governess' name was G%eorgiana
-Georgiana Saunders-which made it
name of the king about whom the
original Declaration was written was
George. as you probably know.
1t was something like this-s6me of
the language we took from h book
and some we mad up ourselves:
When in the course of human events
1t becomes necessary for something to
be done about it. and we can't stand
ent governess is a history of repeated
injuries n u%surpations. To prove
this let facts be submitted to a cam
did world.
1. She makes us brush our teeth
twice a day, which is unnecessary as
well as waSteful.
2. She won't let VI lay books face
downwards. and so you lose the place
and are a long time finding 1t when
you come back.
3. She objects If you make a fork
In your mashed potatoes.
4. She won let us breathe on the
window and write with our fingers
days when it rains.
8. We can't have butter and sugar
on our rice, only milk and sugar.
s. She notices, and makes us go
back to look where We've made finger
marks on the white paint.
z. We have to make our own beds,
and then, If there Is a wrinkle. or it
isn't done right. we have to do 1t all
over again.
s. She's just awful. every way you
can think of.
We, therefore, do solemnly publish
and declare that we are inc by right
ought to be free and independent, and
that our mother and Jul father went
away this morning and will not be
back until tomorrow evening, and that
h Is not our mother and our father,
never has been and never will be, and
that we mean to do as we please, and
that we have full right to levy war and
also to do all other acts and things.
And to this we pledge our lives, our
fortunes and our sacred honor,
(Signed)
Arthur L. cambridge CHATS mel,
Majorie cambridge,
Hester b.. cambridge,
Charles w. cambridge,
Gregory Bainbridge, his X mark.
And we brought in Rex-he's. a mix
lure of an English mastiff and a Siber-
ian bloodhound-and we linked his paw,
and made him step on the paper Just
below Gregory'S name. And then we
drew a circle around 1t and wrote rex,
his mark Then Mazda. the collie dog,
had to come in, too, and pretty soon
there was a mark about the size Of a
hot-house violet, just below where Rex
had printed a big black carnations
shaped thing with his lordly paw.
Spotty, the cat. was the best of all;
h upset the ink bottle on the nursery
carpet, and got all her four paws in
the ink, and then ran right across III
paper. 81 her name was in several
places. Charley (who wrote it, was
sort of mad at trst-said 1t spoiled the
looks OF the paper, n 1t would have
to be written all over. but we told him
it showed how interested and enthusi-
astic Spotty was.
Then Majorie got her sealing wax
and took a piece of red silk ribbon anG
made a kind of bow u of 1t with Ions
streaming ends; and we put a sea
down in the lower left-hand corner
And when. 1t vas finished 1t was {
work of art. Then the question was
What should we do with 1t?
"Leta putt at her plate at break
fast" suggested Hester.
Better send It through the mall
anything to the postman.
PIN 1t on her door, said Charley.
NO. / said, that won't do. TIL,
original Declaration was read out lou,
81 know, cause 1 asked papa. The,
read 1t ut.loud. and then they rang
big bell till 1t cracked"
Well. who's going to be she one L
read 1t ?" asked Charlie.
Well drew lots i said.
And VIZ did with little pieces 0