Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-07-03
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
Hop the Pousr, Family Celebrated the Fourth at Mortified
BY AMANDA L. CROKER.
BY AMANDA L. CROKER.


The American eagle had not screamed
over Mortified for, at least, q dozen
years, n when its citizens had a pa
triotic swelling of the heart for the ma
tional holiday, they went elsewhere for
their Fourth"
But when ErastuS Powers was elect
ed president of the village his wife
suddenly developed into a very Spartan
of enthusiasm, and determined to cele-
brate.
Nov, 'Rastus," she began, your one
golden opportunity of adjoining your Of
flee and honoring your forefathers lies
before o Have a real old fashioned
Fourth of July celebration; make a new
departure and convince all Mortified
of their ungrateful shiftleSSnesS as citi-
Zens Of these United States"
Her husband struck an attitude
worthy Of his position and replied: IF
the people coincide, Matilda. Now, II
l were a mayor instead Of a president,
things would move"
Isn't a president bigger h a a
inayor?' she asked.
mo; / rather think not. when 1t
comes to saying what's to be DONE"
Wei, 'RaStus, why don't they say
Mayor Roosevelt, them" looking tri-
umphant. This was a poser for the
chief executive of Northfield and he
pretended not TO hear.
"Pshaw!" continued Mrs. Powers. no
ticing her husbands brown study,
who cares, so you don't forget the
celebration; q real old timer where they
read the Declaration of Independence
all solemn like to remind people of their
obligations. You won't let the oppor-
tunity slip, will o dear?' she plead
ed, the matter of precedence in author
ity forgotten altogether.
Have the Declaration read, too; the
rising generation don't know anything
about the foundation of liberty; nor
with what struggling it came into eX-
istence, nor even who signed II, per-
haps."
''The Declaration of independence
observed Mr.. Powers, carefully,
doesn't make a Fourth, no more than
a spring chicken makes a whole picnic.
And, after all. / can't imagine who
would read ii, nov that the professor is
away"
The professor snorted Mrs. 'Ras-
tus. why cant the minister read it?
He reads the Thanksgiving proclama-
tons, and / guess the grand old docu-
ment is as readable any day as they
are, not rejecting on the head of the
nation, at all. But" and she cogitat-
ed a moment-"our Margie can read it,
for that matter: and Ben and Rena
can sing the Star-Spangled Banner
beautifully! Then there's their cous
ms, over at Phelps; they own the string
band. Well get them. and o u
Fourth's assured, 'Rastus.'
President Powers felt in his bones
that the matter was really settling, but
the drift of the partial outline struck
him as being a monopoly,
1T might be Objectionable" he ven
tured, ito make the program a family
affair, Matilda"
"Humph!' she returned, warming up,
why should they object? We've waited
a dozen years for the rest to move.
Mercy! / don't believe the people here
know even how many signed that won
derful paper fixing the Fourth for all
time"
We'll Matilda" he answered, wear
lily, lit seems to me o are dead gone
on the Declaration
Don't be blasphemous, 'Rastus," she
interpolated. you're the president of
Northfield-"
And" went on her husband. leaf
10 the interlude, I'll bet you $40 to a
penny, j. o dare, that not one coun-
Gilman can tell whether 1t was signed
at all or not.
His wife fairly gasped with surprise
M disdain. do you mean to say
thai Mortified has refrigerated like
that Erastus Powers? Surely the
pagan ancestors are not far in the
rear!"
II was speaking of the town coun-
Gil, only he answered as IL pronounce
ing sentence.
"Woll, you tell them 1T was signed
by Sc Of the biggest Fourth o. July
men on earth at that time; our first
congressman too"
And Mrs Pow ers swept up and down
the apartment, u very Goddess of Lib
erty.
The town &C. mcil met that evening
and the president was commissioned
by thu covers behind the throne to
tee 10 it," Very ably did he suggest"
and mention the natter" and before
he was aware they were all wonder
fully cnt,luscd.
lie could almost hear Ben and