Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1909-07-23

mile brought her to the lane leading
from the pike to the Schmidt place.
and there'she stopped with sudden re.
solve.
"Ill beard that old lion in his den
and ask him for his pruning hook.
That will he an excuse for going and
will give me an opportunity to plead
Karl's cause"
1t was nearly dark when Miss At
worth ran up the squirrels front walk
and danced through the house into the
kitchen.
"Oh. such luck" she cried gayly. 81
went to see Mr.. Schmidt, and some
good angel prompted me to speak to
him in German. 1t was such bad Ger
man-perhaps that's what pleased
him. Anyway, it thawed him right
out. He lent me his pruning hook and
showed ME over his barn. OF course
I admired his fine cattle. and then, as
he got more and more. pleased at nv
showing such an astonishing lot of
sense. 1 praised Karl sc highly that he
made a complete surrender. He ia
coming tomorrow night to bring the
whole Schmidt family, from the old
grossmutter to the baby. Hurrah for
Washington's birthday"
Never had the old public hall held
such an astonished and delighted au-
dience as the n that crowded into 1t
that memorable night. Gay festoons
Of bunting, countless little flags and
wreaths of evergreen transformed the
dtngy old place completely. A large
picture Of Washington placidly beam
ed from its place Of honor. Over and
pround it, reaching almost across the
stage, was draped a great silken flag,
borrowed for the occasion.
Its enough to make even a craven
image feel PATRIOTIC" whispered Squire
Hardy to his wife as the children's
sweet voices made the room ring with
the grand old national airs.
Declamations followed each other in
rapid succession. Then came a scene,
with recitations, in which Uncle Sam
and all the states Of the Union took
part. The very air seemed charged
with the little teachers electrical spir.
1t of patriotic enthusiasm.
1t was at its height when Karl came
forward to give the famous speech of
Patrick Henry. His delivery was SO
much better than the rehearsals had
led her to expect that even Miss At
worth was surprised. He seemed to
find an inspiration in the crowd. A
storm Of applause followed the "Give
me liberty or give me death"
"What shall we do?" she whispered
In dismay as the persistent clapping
Of many hands called him back. 81
wish you had prepared for an encore"
"Oh, l knows" said Karl, and in an.
other instant he was on the stage
again.
In the deep hush that followed his
clear, musical voice rose in German.
He was reciting 'Mein Vaterland."
Old grandmothers who knew but a
few words Of English rocked them.
selves back and forth in excited de.
light; MIR. Schmidt beamed with vast
smiles; many an eye grew dim, think
ing of the old beloved home across
the seas. But the boy was thinking
Of his own native country. There was
no installing his meaning as he turned
In closing to wave his hand toward
the portrait and the flag. my father
land" he cried, with true feeling, and
then, after a moment of general sur
prise, deafening applause broke out.
As 1t subsidized Miss Atworth stepped
forward to announce the last song, but
Peter Bowling, his face afame with
new delight and old memories, rose,
stalked up the aisle as If unconscious
of all the eyes fixed on him and swung
himself up on the platform with one
long step.
"Friends." he began, 'I've been livin'
kind Of dead among ye for many's the
year. Now I want to say a word or
two. l amt no great at speechifyin',
but these old songs and pieces we've
been a-listenin' to have spirited me up
like the trumpet does an old war
horse.
II want to say that 1 fit for that old
flag, and yet. livin' here so long and
never a celebration for young or old,
I'd half forgot my patriotism. It's our
schoolteacher has woke me up to see-
| in the truth.
II propose that we all get out our
pocketbooks and throw in to get a
handsome flag to fly over this school,
| house. Take an old soldiers word for
1t, there amt no greater inspiration
anywhere to make q fellow put in his
best ticks and come out on top. Now,
Miss Teacher, I'll just get the sense of
this meetin'."
He paused a moment, then turned to
tho 0udicnco. HAn whO want IN nv.