The Whitefish pilot., 1911-09-21

sue! remarked one of the boys.
II Oh. NO. she didn't do that! But to
proceed with my story-0f course we
were just like boys nowadays-fring
our crackers and our cannon. keeping
mp an incessant din all the afternoon.
We couldn't wait till dark to set OF
our fireworks any more than you boys
Wul be able to wait tomorrow night.
When the last piece had been burned
and We had eaten 4 watermelon or
some ice cream we went to bed msurn-
Ing that whole year must pass be-
fore another Fourth Of July would
come around.
"Of course as we grew older our
way OF spending the day changed.
When we reached the youth period we
would get together at the country
home Of some one Of our set of young
fellows and girls. l remember that
when l was eighteen years old l was
invited to one Of these Fourth Of July
parties composed of youngsters about
my own age. l met there for the first
time girl about sixteen. She was
called by a nickname which had been
given her by her father when she was
q baby. 1t was Tottie. The moment
looked at her I felt sure that l had
seen her somewhere before. But when
I saw that she didn't appear to regard
me as former acquaintance made
up my mind that l must have been
mistaken. OF course we We're now too
old, the boys to fire crackers and can
mons. the girls torpedoes. and we were
obliged to find other means of amuse-
ments. The place where we were
spending the day was partly country
home and partly farm. Our hosts.
who were the sons and daughters Of
the owner. got out wagon used for
carrying grain. and. covering its bed
with straw. took us all on the after
noon of Independence day for a long
ride
I'VE sang songs and shouted and
laughed loudly at the poorest jokes.
| just as boys and girls of that age
have always done on such occasions
and will always do to the end Of time.
But there was no harm in it. for the
Fourth is q day devoted to noise. and
we had the open country in which to
do our singing and shouting. At every
| farmhouse we passed urchins who
waved little flags at us. and we waved
return with our own flags and hand
| kerchiefs.
"'Men off here. cried the driver az
we came to steep ascent. and we
| jumped from all parts of the wagon
like startled frogs from log. l was
trudging along with the others behind
the wagon. the girl they called TOttie
being one of those at it's rear end.
"'I hope you're not going to be as
disagreeable as you We're once she
said to me. with a spark Of mischief
in her eyes.
"'What do you mean" l asked.
"'Oh. saw you do u very mean
thing once
"'When? Where?
~ was sitting just as am now
on the rear of wagon and you were
walking behind
"'Do you mean to say that you have
seen me before?'
"'Of course l do
"'And what is the mean thing J
did:'
"'You didn't do it alone. Others
did it too
"'Tell me-
"'You were one Of a juvenile artil-
lery company dragging small can
non in Fourth of July parade. You
all turned out of the line without no.
tifying your standard bearer, who
marched on alone. exciting a laugh
from those who saw him. especially
us girls ON the float
Il fixed my eyes on Tottie and kept
them on her while she spoke Grad
ually in the features of the girl of
sixteen l brought back those of the
girl whom l had fallen in love with
Mt ten. Six years don't count for
much after twenty. but between ten
and sixteen the change in boy or a
girl is considerable.
"Just think of it. children: she had
remembered me perfectly for years."
But thought you said. grandpa"
put in Lucy. that when you turned
out of the procession she didn't look
ut you"
"Yes. but I said girls of that age are
apt to be offish'
"Go on" said one Of the oder girls.
II thought it queer that should
have so long considered this girl sort
of sweetheart and then did not know
her when l saw her again. But the
fact that had so considered her made
me feel very differently toward her
now that had met her again. And
another thing made lot of difference
to me-the fact that she had remem.
bered me so long and recognized me
Notwithstanding that l had grown as
tall as am now. When we men got
on to the wagon again l took a seat
beside Tottie. and We talked over that
procession-how proud we boys felt
dragging our cannon.
"Well. when we came in from our