The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-07-02

i y & f.
mast Her coynpiemn it of guns was q
meager hale dozen three on side.
The two big firecrackers were placed
in position at the ChesapealSe's bow
and stern, and the commodore, joyfully
striking Il match stopped down to fire
his guns.
Whack!. 'Phrastus shot out into the
pond. turning a souersault and scat
! ferlng matches as he went. His line
OF motion was directly across the Ches-
| .apeake. Both her slender niasts snap
ped, and, the stately vessel careened
| till her whole armament slid Off into
the water. . #=
'Phrastus' first thoughtas he emery
ed putting ana sputtering was that tbs
heat had exploded the firecrackers all
! at once. But when he got the water
out Of his eyes he saw that the British
had received unexpected reinforce
ments. ii.
King George XII, arriving unexpectD
cd from the rear, HAD disposed Of the
! American commodore and now turned
| his attention to the stars and stripes,
which he damned into the bank with
repeated blows of his woody head. The
| patriotic blood OF 'Phrastus boiled. &,
| t'Git. out Of that, you old British ram!
l-e' my faG: alone. I'll hit you With a
rock. / wilin'
JIG dug vainly about with his fingers
=, in the muddy bed of the pond but found
nothing larger than a small pebble.
| Meantime King Georges pointed feet
were traupIng his ammunition deep into
| the soil. 'Ihrastus lifted up his voice in
| reproach aInl lamentation.
You're the n1eancst, 1neanest old sheep
| that ever was! We did beat you, Voc did,
we dial Oh, my lag--boo- m rrcrackers
| -hQo-~he's a-sp'ilu' every last one! I
wish they'd bust N turn him wrong side
oil-ou-out!" "a
| The howl drew King Georges attention
! TO the pond He stool moment with
| lowered horns end then plunged threaten
! jI1giy forward drawing back, however, as
! his feet touched the water.
| AT the forward movement 'Pllrastus
! turned GnG ra}.z lie reached the shore as
! King George came galloping around the
Z curve. .-.-
/ Up the nearest tree scrambled tho small
! American. Il was not~a very large one
/ and received q blow from King Georges
! head that almost shook the climber loose
! before he reached place OF safety in
! the crotch H.
| Ror some t'me'Phrastus afterward
| said. Tho hul rnorrin'," but he was in
no condition to jldge-King George butted
the tree. bringing down upon himself
! fresh explosions Of fearful wrath and all
| the lrcal{2Il& branches 'Phrastu5 could
+, reach.- AfterWard he nibbed about in the
| vicinity. returning at Intervals to renew
| the assault and never going far enough
| away 10 permit the escape CT his prisoner
no r: lo+1
Ben Went to the parade, but it was an ex-
| ceptionally good one, and there was a
| puffy little turnover at 'Phrastus' place.
! Aunt scilla rang the little bell, and I'm
! Gle Ben rang the big bell without bring
ing any small nalIllau forward to eat it,
! After all I've said," declared Aunt
| Priscilla, her lips growing o1ninously thin
/ and light, sssthat boys been and gone to
the ptrade!,l 4ss.sz<. .g..--.. -s
&" Tainst agin nature if he has, said
/ Uncle Ben. when you stretch string too
| tight, it II snap
Something III snap" said Aunt 'scilla.
| Her eyes did. Tive got to train up that
/ boz in the way he should CO. and l mean
| to do 1t. Don't you dast say a word,
| Benjamin. Arbuctle! If he don't learn to
! go straight now, he'll go crooked all his
| life =
| After dinner she cut two long lilac
| sprouts ana trimmed them with ostenta-
! tioNs care. While she was washing dishes
! in the EitehCN Uncle Ben slyly cut tiny
slasheS along the whole length of each
switch.
1t was the middle Of the afternoon when
a boy with y dirty, tear marked face and
mud stainnd clothes shuffled into the
house. Undor his arm he carried dis
! llaSted toy G,tOOner and di1aDidated
five cent Anne, lean Gag.
, so, TheophTastus Wilson," greeted Aunt
Scilla, you've been to the p'rade after
all Very well. sir, you're goin' to re-
member CHS Fourth Of July as long as
you live. Come straight here
Sro flOUTishcd one OF the switches, and
! 1t fell to pieces in her astonished hands.
Guess / Shell member it," wl,ined
'Phrastus. 81 haint been to the prade, I
I:ain't! I stuck up in a tree this hull
ovcrlastin Fourth, with Turner's old ram
~a-bIttin at it, tryn' to shake me down
ia had to stayed there all night, too,
+ likely If Mr.. Turner's Pete hadn't como
along. Ycu Jest asst him.
When Harvey Harris heard of it, he
could not resist saying, $50 the British
beat, Ell, Pi!ra stus?'>
! Just that or.ce!" said 'Phrastus.