Willmar tribune., 1908-07-29

ously, yet as one man, with crackers
and joyous spontaneity, to hail with
diabolical din the nations natal day
and to awake many grownup to a
profane realization of the hour.
He raised himself and took a long
view of the street in either direction.
He broke into surprised exclamation.
"Gee-e-ew he shouted. "Look at the
fags!"
For the space of few seconds the
boy gazed delightedly. He seemed to
forget the thrilling bangs that filed the
air. Then he glanced quickly in the
direction Of a nearby schoolhouse.
"Shes there. all rightv' he exclaimed
as he caught sight of good sized gay
bunting floating above the building.
A swish of skirts and happy faced
girl stood beside him.
"Whos there, and wherew she asked
"Well. If girls don't ask the foolish
est question:" shifted the boy in un-
disguised scorn at the girls query. "A
flag amt 'who.'"
"Oh" breathed the enlightened girl,
with smile. "'Shes' flag, is she 2
But you'd better flag yourself in to
breakfast Mothers waiting for you"
She turned to go inside. The boy
caught her.
"Say, Kate, we learned somethin'
at school to say to the flag. Want to
hear it?"
The boy was the brightest spot in
Kates prosaic life.
"Of course I want to hear it." she re-
piled eagerly.
At once the boy assumed military
air. With body erect and dirty little
heels in close contact, he raised a
grimy hand in soldierly salute to a
much befreckled forehead. Ignoring
surroundings and apparently address,
Ing the flag in the distance, he repeat
ed clearly and in a high pitched boy
ish voice:
"I swear allegiance to the flag and
to the republic, for which it stands
one nation indivisible, with liberty and
justice for ALL"
He was Immediately gathered into
the girls strong young arms
Torrance, my little man, you talk
like the president" she exclaimed,
proudly kissing the boys red hair.
"And you learned that in school? Oh,
It's finew
She clasped him so tightly that patri-
otism was forced to cry out for liberty.
"Lem-mego, lem-me-go!" roared Ter
rance, sputtering and wriggling from
his sisters embrace. "Sure. I learnt it
In school, but you needn't squeeze a
Teller to death about it." giving him.
telf a reassuring shake
ITS such pretty speech" inter
rupted Kate, ignoring the uncompli-
mentary allusion to her sex. that I'm
going to fetch you something nice from
Coney Island for learning It,"
"Aw," clustered Torrance conde-
Fcendingly and slipping through the
window into the fiat, with Kate in
close pursuit. "'tain't nothin' 'cept
what we say in school. Every mornin'
one kid he dips the flag like this-see-
an the rest Of US stand up like this
see-an' say it Who you goin' with
to Coney?" he asked abruptly. chang.
Ing the subject. mike Peters?"
Indeed I'm not" replied Kate with
d1sdainful toss Of her head.
They joined their father and mother
at the table.
AS the family ate its breakfast Kate
was bombarded with queries as to who
was to accompany her to Coney.
Mike Peters and Kate's father were
seamsters, and It might have been this
similarity Of occupation and their al
most constant association which en-
deared Peters to the major portion o1
the family. 1t might have been his big
handsome self, his wholesome good ma
ture, coupled with dogged patience
In waiting for Kate, that was subtl!
bringing the girl to realization of hi!
enduring devotion. This change of es
cort, therefore, on the day of all day.
for an outing naturally aroused curl
osity.
Kate's days were passed In a bii
department store. Many persons stop
ped at her counter and made pur