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

K
II bet I'd never pay tiem'oId British
$500 for sheep" said Phrastus
What do you know about the Brit
ish. Bub?" asked one of the men.
81 know we whipped 'em twicet-
Fourth Of July" said 'Phrastus.
well It seems they can beat us on
sheep" laughed the man.
az 'spect il MIR. Turner had looked
round he'd got Jest as good at9ues in
'AIcriker for $10!' cried 'phrastus.
They can't beat Us on anything
Having reached the ground safely,
King George stamped lis royal foot
and shook his curved horns. Then as
MI. Turner entered the yarlNby a side
gate, the ram dashed forward With IN
expected quiclne2s knockelkhis new
owners feet from under hhnSand> laid
him fat on his back.
Serves Mr.. Turner right for spend
in SO much money on au Olaf British
sheep" 'Phrastus whispered to iII1ryoy.
Aunt Priscilla noticed ithIsuIprise
that 'Phrastus neither whlned nor
pleaded when she reannoUncal her
Fourth of July cdict. - E..@---
"You hain;t been giyn' him money
for tirecMckers OF dossyln' him up,
| have ye, Benz" she inquired Of her
husband
''&o. I amt responded Uncle Sen.
But jest think ont, pGrscjlla. The
hcGt Of a boys livin' is rlunpus, and to
choke him OF on the Fourth! It's
we'll, it's piaguy cruel! He'll bust!" I
no, he won't. You jest let Linn
alone, Benjamin Arbucklc. It's tinc
he learned that cats and wash b1l6r5
and other folks had some rights, or the
Fourth Of July 6 well s boys. 1
"'VheEe you going, 'Phrastus?'' she
demanded when the Fourth at last)ar-
rived, as quiet III their immediateTri-
clnlty as If it had been a Sunday.
Down to Mr. Turner's wood lot, ia
! sail my boats"
| He had the boats conspicuOusly tucE-
ed under his arm. Aunt 'Scino regard
ell him with mixture of rernorses ana
suspicion.
"Iou amt fred OF your pistol yet?'
"No'm. Don't Wantcr. Once ain't
nothin'. It'd sound as if it'd lost it.
SELF
"Your pas 1as is in there on the ia
BILE" -.
"Thot's had too much powder
a'ready.' -'-
'Phrastus had carefully studied up
this smart speech in advance
"Hum" Aunt Priscilla shifted. -e"YVell,
! go long then. If you go to that pradc.
sir, you know what youth GET
"Ain't gOin'''
| 'Phrastns eloucled orrw1tn QIl air Of
! deep seated melancholy till the barn
was between himself and Aunt 'Sciiia's
remorsef,ll eyes. Harvey had more
| than kept his promise, and 'Phrastus
executed the final steps Of war
dance.
"Aint he good, Though? I'll hunt
dogs for him all day. Look at these
two big fellers! They'll do for Long
Toms On the Chesapeake"
'Phrastus had planned a naval en-
| gagement that should reverse a fact
Of history. One of Uncle Ben's favor
lite stories was Of the Ship Chesapeake,
! When the English ship Leopard forced
! her to strike her coiors il time of
/ peace. Uncle Ben's grandfather had
been sailor On the American vessel,
and the story Uncle Ben loved to listen
to as a child lie loved to tell 'phrast!s.
! But 'Phrastus d~doterInined that
those ships should meet again OH Mr.
! Turner's pond with very different re-
suit.
He began his preparations. The five
cent flag rendered the Chesapeake top
heavy. so he stuck it into the bank.
The Chesapeake was q full rugged
! schooner, at least eighteen Inches long,
with two rows Of frecracEcr guns on
| either side. The English ship was
only a third as large--a block Of wood
whitfield roughly into the scmblancc Of
+ a boat: with ore crooked wabbling