The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-28
THE FOURTH OF JULY PARADE.

that he would rather have hung up his
best Sunday shirt than have her cut up
her wedding gown. IL know how VIM
men feel about such things" he apollo
sized. trying to keep his delight out of
his faded eyes.
Don't say word. Peter. It's the
happiest day of my life" cried Aunt
Becky warmly. Lets hist her up
! now. Peter. and show Little River
we're still on deckr
lust then there was a light step on
The graveled path. and Eta came
around the corner of the house with
huge bundle under her arm When she
saw the flag she stopped and stared.
why. where did that come from?"
she gaSped.
Aunt Rebecca proudly explained.
Would you believe it," exclaimed
poor Eta. Look here. MA and pa!''
She unrolled the bundle under her arm
and spread it on the grass.
1t was another flag. just as large as
Rebecca's, but made of new material
some sort of cheap bunting neatly
sewed into flag. Uncle Peter was
openly crying ..
did you make this. Etty?' he de-
manded,
Every stitch"' she said proudly. eff
I'D only known ma was going to make
one-but there. ma. if I'd only told you
You might have saved your wedding
dress. but amt you smart to make it?
I've got two flags" sobbed Uncle
Peter. made by the two best women
in the world
Look at what's coming cried Eta.
alert with new interest. Its Job Lit
tie and three men from the LODGE
When job Titles speech was con-
cluded Uncle Peter found himself the
possessor of another immense flag. a
gift from few of his closest friends
staff i'm Little River.
And that was not all. Later the ex-
press wagon drove up and left Peter a
box which turned out to contain anoth-
err fiag-this one made of silk that rus
tied richly as it fell from the box
who the land?' gasped Aunt Re-
becca.
Compliments and best wishes of
John Hamilton and family-for Uncle
Peter Mason Long may she wave!'
read Uncle Peter brokenly from the
card in his hand
who would have believed them sum-
mer boarders would have remembered
ed Eta practically. NOW. pa. what
you going to do? Here you've got four
flags You can't hang 'em on the pole
all to once without some being half
mast"
Uncle Peters hat had been removed
long ago. when he had brought out the
tattered remnant of his mothers flag
and the setting sun gilded his white
head and glorified the faces of the men
and women who stood about him.
~ shall use 'em alternate" announc-
ed Uncle Peter at last; first one and
then another. Tomorrow. being the
Fourth of July, shall divide the day
into four watches of three hours each
and give every flag its turn. I can't
thank anybody yet. I'm too happy. /
hope nobody will be offended. but l
feel like I'll run up my mothers flag
first with Rebecca's. She made it from
her wedding dress. Nobody ObjectT
"Of course not!' they cried heartily.
and in trice the faded bit of bunting
that had been flung to the breeze so
many years once more foated over Lit
tie River, and beneath it rippled out
the splendid folds of Rebecca's flag.
81 think them two flags better float
all day tomorrow" said Job Little de-
cidedly. land these three others-Et-
tvs and Hamiton's and ours-we'll
Jest drape on the piazza. What say"