The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-07-03
FOR THE GLORY OF THE FLAG.

i don't think I've slept wink
all night. Those confounded cannon
crackers have been exploding since
midnight. If 1 had my way"
"You would strike Fourth of July
from the calendar, eh, papa? 7"
Col. Johnstone whirled about In his
walk up and down the gallery to face
his daughter, framed in the doorway.
She looked so fresh and beautiful in
her light summer gown, with a bou-
quet of pansies at her throat, that the
frown disappeared from the fathers
face and a proud, glad light shone in
his eyes.
"You are superior to nature, Ma
bel," he said, holding out his hands
in welcome. "I do believe you would
look like a rose new-washed In dew,
if you did not sleep for fortnight. :"
"But do sleep, papa. When one
is happy one doesn't mind noise, even
of cannon crackers"
"I should have to be In state of
ecstatic bliss not to mind 'em. The
roar of battlefield is music, COM
pared to this internal banging"
''You forget, sir, that they are
celebrating the independence of this
glorious America. lam ashamed for
you. She released her hands, put
them behind her, and looked at him
with all the severity she could com
mands
"The Goddess of Liberty offended
with one of her subjects By Jove
the role is becoming. You should
put on a red, white and blue sash
and sit on the platform at the cele-
bration today"
A wave of color swept over the
neck and face of the girl. 81 wish 1
might, papa, or-that is, I wish very
much to hear the speaking in the
grove today. You will take me,
won't you %
"Go over there to be jammed about
in a croud OF crazy idiots who think
they are showing their patriotism by
shooting off fre-crackers and making
spread-eagle speeches? I'd like to
please you, daughter, but you will
have to wish again"
"I'm sure it would be good fun,
papa, and 1 want to hear the speak
ing. Capt. Tolliver is going to speak,
and"
"Tolliver What is he doing
here?
"He is just back from the Philip
pines on leave of absence, and has
consented to make an address"
Col. Johnstone took two or three
turns up and down the gallery. Then,
coming to his daughter, he said,
slowly
"You know, Mabel, how feel to-
ward TolIiver. He is the son of my
old comrade and have tried to make
man of him. But he is dreamer.
He has refused to accept position in
the bank, where he might learn to
earn a living. He went to this war
against my express wishes. He is un-
grateful as we'll as foolish"
"I'm sure you misjudge him, papa.
Capt. Tolliver is doing what he thinks
right. He believes he ought to make
his own way in the world, as you
have done"
"He has no right to ask you tc
suffer for his Ouixotic notions If he
had stayed with me would have
made man of him."
That's just it, papa ; he doesn't
want any one to make man OF him
He wants to be one himself. Isn't
that better?"
"He's a dreamer, Mabel, and there
is no place In this world for dreamers
But, there, never mind. Well &C
to the celebration, if your heart is SCI
on it. Come and pour the coffee. ano
We'll have breakfast. Drat that
cracker I'll see to itnext year thai
none of them are brought inside the
road gate. Well hear what young
Tolliver has to say, but that's all
He is milk and water, dreamer
The fellow might have had gooo
position in my bank. Now, he mus
look out for himself"
Quite a crowd had assembled II
Oak grove when Mabel and her fathel
drove up. Col. Johnstone was th'
most prominent man in the commu
nifty, and was greeted on all hand
with homely words of welcome. HI
tied his horse in the shade of suga
maple, and he and his daughte
moved slowly along toward the plat