The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-07-02

Rena's 20, Say Can You See," etc., as
he drummed thoughtfully on his desk.
We must lave an orator of the day."
broke in Houseman, the man Of energy,
and I've been thinking that young
Lawyer Foote Of Phelps would be the
one to wake up Northfeld; and we
are able to pay him handsomely for
the speech"
The presidents face blanched, but
he was diplomat enough to hold his
tongue. The proposed orator was
Margie's best beau, n that program
was again edging toward a monopoly.
But If this va of Providence he was
not the one to gainsay it; so Foote
was booked for the grafton, IF they
could get him."
Get him!" mentally unused Powers,
"Of course. He'd break his neck to
show off before Margie." But another
was speaking.
And as to music" he was saying,
there's the Phelps string band. They
can come right along with the orator
of the day and Phelps and Northfield
can celebrate together"
Shades of the hydra-hcaded COM
blne! The scheme was moving Matil-
da's way fast!
That's the checker" cried Dumfey,
the most influential of the lot. Il will
write at once and do the inviting.
Well give them a good dinner and see
to the rest"
How this thing was growing; what
a magnitude this Fourth" had already
assumed, and 1t was only in embryo!
Surely there was more patriotism in
Mortified than Mrs. Powers dreamed
of.
But Nevlns, who admired the presi-
dent as the sun Of their cluster, was
ready with the climax.
Our chief here can read the Decla-
ration of Independence, and we-the
rest of us-will consider ourselves a
committee Of the whole on decoration,
fireworks and other things"
The chief felt a great and most un-
comfortable lump under his collar and
firmly declined.
We'll" said Nevins, determining to
get the honor fixed as near the central
orb as possible, Miss Margie has a
fine voice M We'll put her down for
the reading"
President Powers swallowed the lump
in his throat. That was plainly pre-
destination, so he cheerfully submitted.
In due time Nevins waited on Miss
Margie and she sweetly consented to
do the reading. And Mrs. Powers was
asked to kindly make out the pro-
gram for that weeks issue of the
Mortified Palladium"
. "'Rastus," she exclaimed as soon as
Nevins' coattails disappeared around
the corner, this certainly is getting to
be "a family affair" in spite OF your
qualms.
",To make It sure, I'll sandwich Ben
and Rena in for their song and I will
head the table committee"
The president of Northfleld put on
his hat and went out in the garden to
think. He was only a figure head after
all, even If they did spell it with a
capital P. His name was Powers, but
he hadn't any influence; he was shorn
as clean as Samson!
On this libery loving sphere the Bit
ter Is often mingled with the sweet:
naturally, then 1t was no strange
thing that the Powers family found
aloes IN plenty stuffed into their pa
triotic dessert. "
No criticisms we're forthcoming con-
corning the celebration for that was
success both in attendance and en-
thusiasm; and the dinner and fire
works were simply elegant" with
weather to match. But when the Cos
sips found time to manipulate the wires
IL went out hat the presidents fam
fly instituted the new departure on pur-
pose to air their attainments and show
off Margarer's beau; and not because
they were any more patriotic than 9TH
folks.
1t was at this juncture that Erastus
Powers changed his mind on the ques-
ton Of predestination, and declared to
his wife hat 1t was nothing but a
sleek scheme of the devil, to reflect on
him officially. And he swore within
himself, and by himself, that nc more
opportunities should make a
90 htpnJD