Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-16

ard. the family boy, who had reached
the age of ten without ever having
celebrated genuine Fourth of July.
And all three of u.s. homesick Mrs.
Bailey would say whenever letter ar
rived from her people, "are United
States Americans to the backbone"
James Bailey, the head of the trans
planted American household had been
born at sea between Dublin and New
Amsterdam, which circumstance, per-
haps, rendered his subsequent pat
riotiSm lukewarm affair compared
with Mrs. Baley's. Nevertheless, this
lack Of warmth did not prevent his ap-
plying hopefully, from time to time.
for lucrative government positions
In his youth he had served the gov
eminent in certain small matter,
and it seemed only fair that the gov
eminent should keep him in remem.
brance; but It did not: Time after
time the comfortable office that he
coveted went to some more popular
candidate. Instead Of placing the blame
where it belonged, resentful Mr.. Bailey
ascribed all his troubles to the un-
gratefulness of Uncle Sam.
The final blow was the appointment
the prosperous Indiana town to which
the Baileys had migrated. Unfortu-
nately, Mr. Bailey relying on certain
promises, had confidently expected
that particular office to fall to his own
lot. This loss, 1t itself, might have
been borne but coming at it did on top
OF all the other failures. the cumula-
tive force Of repeated disappointments
was too much. Poor down-hearted, hot
headed Bailey declared furiously that
he was done for all time with the gov
eminent tat had turned him down To
prove It. he whisked his protesting
family off to Canada-that being the
nearest substitute for alien soil that
the continent afforded. After that ON
all public occasions the disgruntled
American citizen cheered Justly
for the queen and paid homage
likewise to the king: but loyal Mrs.
Bailey and Mildred continued to
breathe fervently, If perforce silently,
"Hurrah for the Stars and Stripes!"
James" Mrs. Bailey would confide
to her favorite neighbor, "has queer
one-sided twist to his face. 1 guess if
you could get after his disposition
with ex.rays you'd find it warped just
the same way. He's dear, good man
IN most ways. but he's certainly ter
ribly unforgiving AS long as that
gr,ldge lasts We'll have to stay poked
off in Canada and not be allowed to
even visit American soil. It's nine
years since we left home.
'sWhv don't you run away? He'd
run after you, quick enough. Nine
chances"
"You don't know James," returned
Mrs Bailey He always takes the
tenth chance. It's bad enough having
him ort with the States, without get.
ting him vexed with me- The grudge
will wear c,t in time, but oh! it takes
80 much time"
The young Baileys enthusiastically
celebrated the queens birthday, like
wise the kings, besides eating with
commendable fealty only such
pickles as were made by "The purvey-
ors to the Royal Family" but the day
about which all tfaeir happiest
dreams really centered was Fourth of
JULY Mildred was eight when her
father repudiated America, so she was
able to remember the joys Of, past
Fourths; but to exiled- ten-year-old
Richard the very reddest-letter day OF
oil Young America was known only
through hearsay, although it lost
nothing by that. since both Mrs. Bailey
and enthusiastic Mildred ever painted
it In the most glowing colors. TO
adult persons still enioving the priv.
leges Of independence Day. that noisy
holiday is accompanied by certain
drawbacks that detract materially
from It's pleasures; but time has
dulled the ear-splitting noises and
healed the burns, SO patriotic Mrs.
Bailey remembered only the glories
Of the day she was no longer able to
celebrate. Aided by Mildred, she pic
tured its joys so alluring that young
Dick would willingly have traded three
Christmases for one such Fourth as
the homesick pair described,
AS matter Of fact this holiday was
invariably the most dismal of days for
the Bailey's, for, from the third Of
July to the fifth, soured Mr.. Bailey's
resentment toward Uncle Sam became
SO acute that 1t really seemed unsafe
to tear the big protecting figure "3"
off the calendar AS for mentioning
the date, SO blank was Mr.. Bailey's
brow on July Fourth that not one Of
the subdued trio would have dared.
Yet for nine successive Fourths Mrs,
Bailey and Mildred had celebrated Sc
cretely in their thoroughly American
hearts; and for at least five of the
nine, small Dicks imagination had
busted itself almost feverishly about
that day Of days.
Mr. Bailey, owing to his peculiar
sensitiveness to defeat, had ever been
rolling stone; yet so clever was he
in many estimable ways that he had
managed at all times to make fairly
comfortable living. Although some
what too self-centered ne was not un.
generous with his money, so his expa-
triated family really hungered for only
one thing their native land. But that
seemed pretty big, sometimes.
Mr.. Bailey's business-he was en-
gaged during that summer in land
looking" for an importan. Toronto
Elrm-often kept him from home for
many weeks at time.
"By the way" said IIr Bailey one
morning In June, as he tossed the