Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-07-01


saw that it was an eagle, and then he
settled on the hay so close to him he
believed he could reach out his hand
and touch it. He tried, and sure
enough it was within reach and it
winked at him. Bonnie had heard of
American eagles. He would find out
if this was one.
Are you the American eagle?'
Sure responded the bird, land
what are you doing here? Don't you
know this is the day we jollify, the
boys and I? What do you mean stay
ing home asleep on the Fourth of
July? Aren't you proud of your
country? Don't you remember George
Washington and how he licked the
British and set us free? Don't you
like fun? Why, declare you are
about the only boy in America that
would go to sleep on haystaclS on
the Fourth of July!"
Bonnie almost suffered in his eager
ness to say that he didn't mean to be
unpatriotic
T-I-wanted to go-I never knew
D0lOlS--l gu al lSduS, anu WI hCu
hard too, but"
The eagles face was so sharp and
comical looking that Bonnie could not
keep from grinning, then he added
IT just wish I had half chance
now"
The eagle edged his way close over
to the boy, and before you could say
"Jack Robinson" and, without Bonnie
being able to understand how it ever
happened the boy was astride of the
bird, and away the two went in great
sweeps up into the heavens. And yet
Bonnie didn't scared. 1t seemed the
most natural thing in the world. They
were going, he knew not where. The
! first time he looked down he saw that
they were lowering over town on
the outskirts of which he espied a
] long table where it seemed that hun
ireds of people had been eating. Great
crowds were in a grove near by, and
some one was standing on a platform
throwing his arms and shouting till
Bonnie could almost hear the words.
Bands were playing, flags we're flying
everywhere, and everybody was hap
by. Bennie himself could not help
| getting hilarious, whether it was be-
cause he caught the spirit of the peo-
pie beneath him, Or because of the
rare atmosphere in which he was
floating. First he chucllled to himself
then he laughed and then he shouted
The bird seemed to catch the spirit of
the occasion and made grand sweeps
down until Bonnie could see Farmer
Brison and his family and all the peo
pie, and he noted that nobody seemed
to be as happy as he was himself.
Then the eagle wheeled as though the
whole world was spread out beneath
him. He could see lights glimmer-
ing here and there below as the even
came on, which were answered by the
stars that stole out one by one and
seemed to twinkle a welcome to him.
At one place he saw a bonfire, and in
the colors, red, white and blue that
blazed near by, welcome ALL" while
all about fountains of sparks rose into
the air and rivers of fire ebbed and
flowed lighting up the Sky about him
with colors of which he had never
dreamed. Flowers of light grew from
buds 10 full bloom before his wonder
ing eyes. A flash of light shot across
the heavens, shout went up, and the
eagle, swelling and spreading his
wings, bore him up, till it seemed that
from a deep-toned cannon, huge balls
of colors shot out and up and broke
in a myriad Of stars.
Thus Bonnie sped on from town to
town, over cities ablaze with splendor,
his ears greeted with the shouting
sands. And such music! Never be-
fore had he heard such sounds. Never
had he known there was music like
that. His heart beat, and before he
knew it he was singing songs he had
never sung before. He was SO happy
he could hardly keep his seat on his
flying steed. A rocket burst above
him, and as the stick descended he
grabbed at it; the weight unseated
him, and over he went still holding
on to the stick, till, falling down,
down, he struck Farmer Brison's hay
stack with a thud.
Then sitting up, holding his hat tight
in his hand, he heard his name called.
1t was night, and old John Brison was
cursing.
eyes, sir. Yes, sir" he replied,
'I'm here, I'll unharness the horses.
I'll give them extra corn too. Yes,
I'll rub 'em down. I'm coming
But Bonnie had had the biggest
kind of Fourth of July and was
happy.-The American Boy