The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1912-07-04

their faces. From store front and
across the street in a gay arch with
the word Welcome" extended there
from, flutter red, white and blue bunt-
ings with graceful training Of colored
papers and a liberal interspersing of
the star spangled banner. On the street
the venders are busy with their lem
Onade and pop and sandwiches. Every
body is dressed in his or her best, the
men for the most part In black and
the women in white. Hank Craig, the
local stone mason, appears with q real,
linen collar choking at his erstwhile
collarless neck Andy Brown has a
new pair Of shoes that plainly would
hurt his feet on any other day. Widow
Scroggs looms forth in a new triumph
Of millinery that almost staggers staid
old Deacon White as she sweeps by
Bingle's restaurant where the deacon
is investing Ave cents in peanuts.
And from over the hills come the
country folks. the families in carriages
and in democrat wagons, the father
and mother in front, she with the
baby, he driving, while behind are
grouped the progeny Of varying years.
All are happy and expectant.
The country beau, driving his sleek
roadster to his new top carriage. en-
ters triumphantly with her by his side
She is buxom and good to look upon,
witt hoo In hnV. Oh nl -.
ness in her eye that you do not see In
the f1at-housed women OF the cities.
And from the black nag's name and
tail fiutter ribbons of baby blue with
big bow of It about the whip stock
So gay is the outfit that one almost
fancies it bridal party-and it may
be before night. or a promise of one
The Ragamuffin Parade.
And now all is ecurry and excite
ment. The ragamufins are coming!
The marshal of the day. George Gran
ger of the Town Market, rides import
antly down Main street and warns the
people to beware of their horses, the
parade is about to start. The people
strain their ears-and then on the air
there bursts the glorious discord of
the village band, playing America" !"
And now the sound grows nearer as
the band takes on livelier air. The
word is passed from mouth to mouth:
It's coming!"
All, the rare excitement of the min
e. H,piI to- Re ~ 4
have ecUaled 1t! How few have been
the occasions for such ultra Joy!
And it comes! First Is the band.
then a beautiful float representing
columbus discovering America" The
air is filed with "Ohs!" and "Ahs!"
as the float comes into view But this
gives way to laughter as the next We,
hicle rolls along bearing a travesty
on the local barber shop. The BARRIERS
are dressed like the devil" with cur
ling bow-catchers and waxed mus.
taches, with claw-hammer coats and
long, pendulous tails! And in the chair
is a victim! A victim, indeed, tor
they are making lather in wooden
pail with a boom and shaving the Gus
toner with u meat ak!
And then another fioat--this time
representing "Evangeline" and telling
again the story of the Acadian expul-
sion. The mayors wife is Evangeline
and SO well does she look the part
that half the young fellows in town
envy the mayor
But even a mayors wife cannot
usurp the fitting allegiance of the pop
ulace when right behind her comes the
local newspaper Office on wheels, with
the most awful devil" feeding hand
bills into pony jobber!
And next appears THE First Cont.
mental Congress" in session, and more
ragamuffins and more floats. more mu.
sic and more excitement, ending with
take-cff on calliope and clown
driving a town donkey. with two hun
dred small boys shouting and hooting
as a tail to the kite!
Isn't 1t great!
You know II. for you can see hun
dred things In this parade that