The Detroit times., 1909-07-05
BY HUGH ALLEN.

IL was lgnatz MurovitZ OF coursc
who asked the question -Ignatz tee
earnest. who was always asking Qucs-
lions. and who always believed wnat
WAS told him.
The other boys I'm the Sunday school
class a. Hone mission Uttered but
jamie Seymour. young and seIf-con-
scious was puzzled She was only a
substitute teacher anyway and was
mitch afraid that she couldn't talk 10
the class in words they would under.
stand.
who will tell Ignatz what the
'ourth OF July is?' she hazarded The
nsvcrs came quickly.
ITS frecrackers and roman cam
dies said one
lgnatz, eight months In America,
looked puzzled.
ITS pnrades. too. another said.
lgHatius OBricn. the biggest boy.
spoke UP scornfully.
"Aw, dat Amt H. OATS what 20 10.
Fort OF July IS the day We licked En-
land. It's de day we'se all free AID
eGual Amt IT, teacher
Yes, yes. that II" breathed the
teacher. glad to get out of 1t so cas- =.
Now We mus, hurry on with the las
son
But lguatz missed the rest OF tile
lesson His mind was far away. And
after dismissal he hurried after lgaa-
tius and touched him timi1ly on tie
arm
Irnatius." he said What's fieean-
cauaI?"
There was twinkle in the older
boys eye.
why. YOU know what free is Dat
.neans you do whatever you wantor.
Nobody can't boss You round see An
anual-dat's everybody's alike.
Nobody amt no 5ettern nobody else.
Light was dawning for the Russiaa
boy
Il am so good as Mike, the cop?' he
asked eagerly
yep"
Ana as Mr.. Bonetti who keeps the
-tore?"
"Ye're Just as good as big Tim the
BOSS. or"--Ienatius thought hard--"a )
he president OF the United States
And Ignatz went home with his mead
NJ IN the air and his thoughts soar
ing
Were all freeanequal tomorrow.
mother" he announced,
MIS-. Murovitz. silent woman with
lined face. frowned over the shirts
she was stitching. "Free-equai
she said harshly. You learn foolish
ness. The Cossacks do not come at
take our COWS in America-but We
have no COWS Il don't give us food
and clothes. Your father talked about
Tree and equal Where is he no"
we are free 20 work--thats all
Bat Ignatzs faith was mistaken.
He was up early in the morning al
hurried out ON the street.
Hello. cop" he said boldly to the
nrst policeman he met.
rhe policeman grinned back IN
couTaeed IgnatZ spoke to everybody
some answered back, some didu I.
When they didn't he smiled To him
self II was a new Declaration or In
lependcrce each time.
He got some setback. Once when
he interpreted free" TO mean that
he could help himself to the fire
crackers that crowd OF boys We're
setting of Again when he walked
into a candy store and took handful
Of chocolates.
What happened on these occasion
left him puzzled Wasn't America a
free county,
He reached the beautiful reslder &C
district shortly II isn't very far In
blocks from the tenements. He had
walked through this street in awe
many times before. Today he
marched in through the big gates. He
found the erass soft and green and
wholly delightful The walks were full
OF surprises. Then he reached
house-big like the cars palace.
The woman going down the steps
kissed the pale pretty woman In he
chair Now that you are free Nan
Won must forget the past and DC
happy" she was saying.
Frec-the word reached Igna'zs
ears. Sure, this was de fourth jay.
The rich people were free today JUST
Ike him aud Mike, the policeman, anl
every body else. He walked up the
stems confidently.
The lady didn't seem TO see him
FOR a long time Then she started
What are you doing here?' she
askel sharply
II come io~ TO visit" the boy cN
plalned. We're freeanequal today
voa know" He told her all about it
The woman grew interested.
where ia your man % lgnatz asked
after while. t
The woman hesitated He Is goh-
away -,
when Is he coming back qucs
toned fgnatZ
lie isn'troming back"
"Oh.h- Is he by Siberia Ike minc
fadcr?"
Tell me about your father tae
woman parted. Ignatz sat down CON
,ortably and told what he remembered
How his father said people should tc
free. should not have To sive their
goods to the cossacks. And how one
night the cossacks came on horseback
and set fire TO the house and put ropas
around his father and took HIM away
and how his mother and his two lite
brothers fed away in the night an
came 20 America.
There were tears In the woman
eyes when Ignatz finished.