Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-07-02

martial feet and the extraordinarily OF
the drum corps betoken the beginning
of the parade. All, 1t Is fine! My paw
Is n grand marshal and yours Is the
chief aide. Respondent In red, white
n blue sashes, they ~aracole through
the streets, their horses dancing at the
explosions. and issue martial commands
through real speaking trumpets.
The line Is formed at last. and away
goes the procession, the village band al
its head, every member bursting with
music and patriotism. All too soon IL
Is over. 1t reaches court house square
n there disbands. In the stand draped
In red, white and blue sit the elder
statosmen of the town. Massed about
are the wives and s~weethearts, decked
out in their summer finery. The square
is Jammed n far out OF the edges
Of the crowd stand farmers wagons
in which fxrmers' daughters litter and
farmers sons MUNICH huge chunks of
gingerbread.
And Then the Band Played.
A tall man in the center of the stand
arises and calls for order. He is the
president of the day. and most likely
the president of the village as well. He
calls upo the parSon, who makes the
oper.ing prayer. and then the band
plays Hail Columbia"
Next the immortal declaration is
read. Young Mr.. Smith, who hopes to
be nominated for the legislature in the
fall, has been selected for the honor.
In uncomfortable looking frock coat
tightly %buttoned, and with a mien
serene and earnest, he advances to the
reading desk and tenderly and rever-
emily lays thereon he book containing
the declaration.
While the audience Is applauding he
pours out carefully and drinks ostenta-
tiously a glass of water. Then, clear
ing his throat and loosening his collar
band, he reels off in high, piercing
treble the rounded periods of Jefferson
beginning, "When In the course OF hu-
man events" etc.
The small boys do not understand,
but they reverence 1t. They wish sew
eral times either that Jefferson had
written a shorter declaration or that
the perspiring Mr.. Smith would lower
his voice, but the end comes at last and
everybody lifts up his or her voice to
help out the band in THE Star Span
gled Banner"
When hat has been sung clear
through to the 'hireling and slave" and
foul footsteps pollution"-there is no
e~Xpurgation of the national hymn in
the public schools of this town-every-
body is as hot and uncomfortable as
are the musicians. They are in a con-
ultlOfl 10 welcome any INVERSION, anu
they get 1t. One of the teams at
tached to a farmers wagon breaks it's
hitching strap and runs away. Women
scream, men and boys rush to the
scene The farmers daughter is alone
in the wagon. But the ardent swain Is
not far away. He chases h runaway,
leaps into the wagon owe the tall
board, seizes the reins, checks the run
aways and drives his inamorata back
safe to the cheering throng. Thence
forward he is the hero Of the day, the
envy even of Mr.. Smith.
efforts Of His Life"
The president of the day scowls. The
runaway was not on his official pro-
gram and he canno recognize it. He
pounds for order, and when he can
make himself heard introduces "our
talented young congressman, the ora
tor Of the day. who will now address
YOU" Spick and span in a Washing