The Irish standard., 1912-07-20
ou, daushter?" FIe looked keenly

curiously like his own as she spoke.
you mean that you will elope with
him?"
"Oh, no; some day you will give
your consent"
"Never!" declared Jacob as he
picked up his newspaper. "By the way,
Alice, you've invited lot Of people
down to Edgebank for the Fourth,
haven't you?"
"Yes-and will you please order
the fireworks, father? We want a
display for the evening after the big
dinner"
very well, Ill attend to it my.
SELF
1t was the very night before the
Fourth when Jacob Sellew remem-
bered the fireworks. His daughter
and the servants had already gone
down to the country house, and he
was stopping at hotel. There was
new motor car to go down, too,
and he had decided to drive it him.
self as he was skilled operator and
the roads were perfect.
He ordered the fireworks by tele-
phone and stopped for them with
the new car, for Alice had sent in an
urgent reminder of their need. A
few minutes afterward he went on
, his way, the tonneau of the car and
every available inch of room in the
seat beside him being filled with
explosives.
Rockets and Roman candles, red
and green fire, set-pieces and cannon
crackers made up the assortment.
Jacob Sellew made an annual sac
rifice Of gunpowder to show his
patriotism.
His trip across the ferry and along
the suburban roads was uneventful.
Things did not really begin to hap
| pen until he reached the turnpike and
speeded little.
| The new car worked like clock
q. well-oiled, smoothly running clock.
The moon rose and made the road
! white and clear. There were still five
miles between him and his home.
He decided to smoke. He forgot that
he carried load of explosives.
He lighted a cigar and hummed q
little tune. Something went wrong
and the machine wabbled. 1t would
not respond to the steering wheel
and just as he reached the curve OF
the road that bordered Cyrus Ken.
! bricks estate the machine swung
into the well-traveled roadway and
entered the grounds Of Jacob Sci
LEWIS bitter business enemy.
10 describe Mr.. Sellew's anger
would be painful. He swore as he
tossed his cigar aside and jammed
all the levers and turned the wheel
this way and that.
In his chagrin at the situation he
lost his nerve and sat helplessly as
the machine wabbled up the avenue
freakishly turned aside. to cross the
lawn, only to stagger to standstil
! in the midst Of rose garden in from
of the big house.
There were people sitting in the
veranda and he heard explanations
and mans shout.
Then the real performance began
A rocket Kissed from behind him anG
shot horizontally across the park. II
burst its flaming way through g
handsome spruce tree and left de
struction in it's wake. Other rockets
shot forth in the most Independent,
manner. Fortunately most of them
were headed away from the house.
Roman candles pouted, red fire
blazed luridly and the cannon crack
ers roared as they wrecked the new
automobile.
Jacob sellew was on the ground
dancing frantically around the dan
gerous display, lodging rockets an(
candles with surprising agility.
All at once came some stablemer
headed by Jack Kendrick, carryins
long hose. In three minutes The
blaze was extinguished and jacob
sellew was standing by the singet
and smoking machine waiting thu
approach of his arch enemy.
What could he say?
Jack stood little aside.
Cyrus Kendrick stamped across thu
+, lawn and shook his fist in Mr.
Sellew's bewildered face.
what do you mean, sir, by tres
| passing on my grounds and making
an exhibition like this-eh? Are
you crazy?"
For the first time in his career
/, Mr.. Sellew found himself makine
humble apologies to Cyrus Kendrick.
He was deeply grateful when the,
appeared to believe his story. He
could have embraced Cyrus Kendricl
when that gentleman told him tc
forget it," and led him into the
library to partake of stimulants.
| Truthfully speaking, Jack haG
winked at his parent. Otherwise
Cyrus might not have displayed this
forgiving spirit, for his garden wae
as the apple Of his eye.
"Er. Jack" remarked Jacob when
he was feeling better. 81 wonder II
you would mind telephoning over tc
Alice and asking her to drive over
after me?"