Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-07-01

Of the day TO speeches, parades and
fireworks Of q quiet and unexciting
kind, thought it incumbent on herself
to make life as bearabIe as possible
for as many as possible Of the small
boys Of the neighborhOod.
She began with her Sunday school
class as a nucleus, and invited them to
a picnic; and each and every one Of
them asked permission to bring a
small brother or friend. Her own
brother, Tom, home for a visit, prom
ised TO come for her and help her
bring the children home at sunset.
Elizabeth, as soon as the morning
parade was over. started out undis-
mayed with some twenty irresponsible
boys in her wake.
Now, boys" she said as she gave
each Of them a flag, q paper drinking
cup and a small box Of provisions
when they we're all settled safely in
the open car, we're going to play
soldiers. These are our rations. I'm
the general, and I'll appoint the two
boys who behave best on the way out
captains to help me manage things.
You know, soldiers obey, and that's
what you must do"
IF we're soldiers, we can fight,
can't we?" demanded Peter Dolan, the
fierce light of a born warrior shining
10 his ed-brown eyes.
"Jimmy's cat ate my singin' canary.
You ought to have seen it-just two
Hites-"
Jimmy's placid round face darkened
into a frown. Probably the canary
bothered him; it shrieked, it didn't
Ring," he vouchsafed. SurreptitiousIy
he kicked Peter.
Now, get out" exclaimed that hot
headed young man, cor I'll
See here, boys" interrupted Eliza
beth, we're not going to fight, and if
you act this way I'll turn around and
go home this minute. Remember what
/ said about the captains"
Then and there, with the tact that
makes a successful general, Elizabeth
decided that she would appoint Jimmy
and Peter, the two most unmanage-
able Of her soldiers, captains
The first real hitch in Elizabeth's
plans came at the fork in the road.
Elizabeth started on the path to the
right; the two captains, yoicing the
opinion of the whole army, advocated
the path to the left.
please, Miss Elizabeth" pleaded
Jimmy, there's a rock out there
where the Indians used to build fires
for signals. Please let's CO."
And in the end Elizabeth found her
self mildly following her mutinous
army to the spot in the world where
she least wished to be. Just a year
ago today Robert Willis and she had
wandered up the same path. They
had stopped to rest on the famous In
dian stone, and while they were there
Robert had surprised Elizabeth by ask
ing her to be his wife She had re-
fused him, for she had not trusted
herself and had thought that the
quick, warm feelings which came to
her with his words would leave her.
Today she realized her mistake. She
-iehN kAA POSSAS u SuSoIt AuS DOyS 10 the
foot of the valley. But she had meant
to walk UP the path on the right side
to pretty spot where she knew she
could look across the tree tops to the
Old Indian stone. With dismay she
watched her young soldiers scamper-
ing up the hillside, and suddenly she
heard a whoop Of delight from Peter
Dolan. the first to reach the Indian
stone
I'm a silly, sentimental, foolish
thing" said Elizabeth, wiping a few
drops from her eyes, and l just de-
serve every bit of this"
Putting feeling and sentiment aside,
Elizabeth hurried ON and Overlook the