The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-06-30
Me Declaration
OF independence

iOu nave all Tedu the DeCldTdtlOn o.
independence, I suppose. 1t is print
ed on fine type in the back of the
Child's History, and at the top Of the
names signed at the end to show how
they wrote them is John Hancock's
big and bold, the way a person would
write if he were doing 1t with a burn
match. Papa used to gather us to-
gether in the parlor after breakfast
every Fourth Of July and read us parts
of it and explain the long words, sc
that we would understand what the
Fourth OF July was really for-that II
wasn't just to burn holes in your
clothes, and frighten horses, and leave
stubs Of firecrackers on the sidewalk
that don't get swept off for days. When
we children came to LAY our own rev.
olution against the governess that time
mamma and papa went away to be
gone w days, we knew just how to
go about 1t; and we wrote a Declar-
alton of Independence, copying 1t after
the real true one, n then we all sign
ed our names at the bottom with big
f1ourishes, the way John Hancock and
the others did.
: We thought with all our preparation
success was sure, just as the patriots
Of re were successful as the reward
Of their daring, but alas!
Jul SoNClACSo dlIl Wdo 1COlB ldlld
-Georgiana Saunders-which made IL
all the more appropriate, because the
name of the king about whom the
original Declaration was written was
George, as you probably know.
When we got the Declaration done
1t was something like this-some OF
the language we took from the book
and some we made up ourselves:
When in the course of human events
~ hannrnac nanacSaru for cnytnathfnp RI
be done about it, and we can't stand
it any longer. The history Of our pres
ent governess Is a history Of repeated
injuries and usurpations. To prove
this let facts be submitted to a can
did world.
L. She makes us brush our teeth
twice a day, which is Unnecessary as
well as WaSteful.
2. She won't let US lay books face
downwards, and SO you lose the place
and are a long time finding 1t when
you come back.
8. She objects If you make a fork
in your mashed potatoes.
4. She won't let us breathe on the
window and write with our fingers
days when it rains.
5. We can't have butter and sugar
on our rice, only milk and sugar.
6. She notices. and makes us go
back to look where we've made finger
marks on the white paint.
Z. We have TO make our own beds,
and then, If there Is a wrinkle, or II
isn't done right, we have 70 do 1T all
over again.
8. She's just awful, every way you
can think of.
We, therefore, do solemnly publish
and declare that we are and by right
ought to be free and independent, and
that our mother and our father went
away this morning and will not be
back until tomorrow evening, and that
she Is not our mother and our father,
, never has been and never will be, and
that we mean to do as we please, and
hat we have full right to levy war and
| also to do all other acts and things,
And to his we pledge u lives, our
fortunes and our sacred honor.
(Signed)
Arthur L. cambridge Chats me),
Majorie cambridge,
Hester b. cambridge,
Charles w. cambridge,
Gregory cambridge, his X mark.
And we brought in Rex-he's a mix
ture Of an English mastiff and a Siber-
ian Newfoundland we linked his paw,
and made him step on the paper just
below Gregory's name. And then we
drew a circle around 1t and wrote REX,
his mark" Then Mazda, the collie dog,
had to come in, too, and pretty soon
! there was a mark about the size of a
hot-house violet, just below where Rex
had printed a big black ~carnation-
shaped thing with his lordly paw.
Spotty, the cat, was the best Of all;
she upset the ink bottle on he nursery
carpet, and got all her four paws in
the ink, and then ran right across the
paper, so her name was in several
places. Charley (who wrote it) was
sort of mad at first--said 1t spoiled the
looks of the paper. and 1t would have
TO be written all over, but we told hin
1t showed 10Y interested and enthusi-
astic Spotty was.
Then Majorie got her sealing wax,
and took a piece OF red silk ribbon and
made a kind Of bow out of it with long
streaming ends; and we put a sea!
down in the lower left-hand corner,
And when it was finished 1t was q
work of art. Then the question was,
What should W. do with 1T?
Lets put it at her plate at break
fast" suggested Hester.
Better send 1t through the mall"
said Majorie. "She won't dare to say
anything to the postman.
pin 1t on her door," said Charley.
NO. 1 said, that won't do The
original Declaration was read out loud
i know, cause / asked papa. They
read 1t out loud, and then they rang a
big bell till 1t cracked"
"Well who's going to be the one to
read it?" asked Charlie.
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