The midland journal., 1906-06-29

over, carefully examining it. In one
corner of the envelope was United
States postage stamp and in the other
an American flag, and between them,
clearly written in round, boyish
hand, was his own name and street and
number Without doubt it belonged
to him, but he had read his own name
many times before he felt sure of this
fact, for in all his twelve years he had
never received a letter before.
He felt very proud in his new dig
nifty, but the contents of the letter
made his heart leap with still greater
Joy. This was what the letter said:
Dear Tom-The Fresh Air girls who
were here last summer said they knew
a fellow in the city who had been wait
ing three years for chance to come to
the country, and his name was Tom
Hogan. My mother says 1 can invite
you to come here to our house this
year in time for the Fourth of July.
When Dewey won Manila we had
fine parade. l beat my mothers tin
covers. She made me some rhymes
, that said:
Twas Harold beat his mothers tins
When Dewey won Manila,
Sailing over the Eastern Seas
Upon his armed fotilla.
When Dewey fights beneath the flag,
1t makes noble story;
The boys who make such hero-men
Will bring our flag its glory.
Well have firecrackers and go fish
ing on the Fourth and if we should
beat the Spaniards again we'll have an
other parade. I'll be at the station to
meet you the Saturday night before
the Fourth. Yours respectfully. Har-
old Knowles.
P. S.-My mother has made it all
right with the Fresh Air folks.
Tom gave a war whoop of delight,
and there was hurrying time in the
little three-roomed nome in the big
tenement.
For three years Tom Hogan had
longed to go to the country in the beau
tiful summer time. but there was a
greater call for girls in his school than
for boys. and each time he had been
left out, till at last he had become dis
heartened. Three years was long
time to wait, but he forgot all the dis
appointments of .ormer summers as
he sped along past fields of daisies.
green meadows and running brooks, on
his way to the country.
At the little village station Harold
met him, and the boys were soon ac-
quainted and good friends. A happy
Sunday in the flag trimmed village
church. and out under the giant oaks
In the broad churchyard, was pleas
ant beginning to his vacation.
The next morning the boys were up
before sunrise, shooting off whole packs
of firecrackers at time, rousing every
sleeper within hearing distance. As
the sunrise colored all the sky above
the hills with its brilliant hues, and
the church bells rang, the boys ran off
to watch the firing of the sunrise cam
non. The explosion was like clap of
thunder, and came echoing back from
the hills in low. rumbling notes.
When breakfast time came Harold
and Tom had already been up for hours
and smelled strong of smoke and gun
powder, but it was the Fourth of July.
and they were enjoying it to the full,
and Mrs. Knowles only warned them
not to get burned.
After breakfast they started off with
lunch and fishing tackle, and Tom
was so happy he felt like pinching him
self to make sure he was not dream
ing. He had seen doughnuts and ap-
pie turnovers and Il generous pile of
sandwiches go into the lunch basket,
fooothnr with eggs and hannnaS and