The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1915-09-23

San Marco 1t was night to linger
and listen, to expand and glow In the
moonlight. From the Grand canal
came Quavery foreign cries. the soft
dip of oars, glints of lights, and wisps
of melody. 1t was a night to win one
from bed, night dimming ell day; a
Whistlerian nocturne.
The old San Marco clock doomed
ominously twenty-one times, proclaim
ing the hour of nine after the olden
fashion giving each hour OF the twenty
four its rightful count. And with the
last re-echoing boom the piazzi band
burst into a rousing military strain,
standing in the center Of the square,
surrounded by throng OF night-pleas-
urers; for the Venice season was on.
and the city thronged.
The lonely-looking figure In front OF
San Marco stirred, stepped out, and
strolled toward the music, slipping in
20 a chair before table in an outdoor
cafe.
Cafe noir!" he ordered from an
sobseQuious waiter. and sat musing be-
tween the music and hilarious party
of Americans drinking champagne at
the next table.
"You can tell an American wherever
he is" cried the modishly dressed
young fellow who was buying the bot
ties, flushed with excitement and wine.
"And a man from Manhattan you can
recognize by the cut of his coat, his
cravat, smooth face. and keen eyes"
THAT is the American eye for
money and business, / presume"
drawled an Englishman In the party.
eve have to earn ours" answered
the flushed youth. "The majority of
our families aren't old enough to In
herit from. The aggressive American
spirit leaves its print on all OF us. Do
you think you could mistake one OF us
for wbiskered Frenchman, an oily
Italian. a stolid German, or tight
trousered Englishman?"
Cali this patriotism because this is
your Independence day. presume"
smiled the Englishman.
Fourth of July ought to make a
man think of his country. You people
have bank holidays, Christmas and
New Years; that's all. Did you ever
see a regular Fourth of July celebra-
tion?"
"Oh, / know; beastly vulgar, charm
ingly Chinese; fireworks, songs,
speeches"
wait! Well show you Fourth of
July celebration" AS the band stopped,
the young American jumped to his
chair and waved his hat.
"Hurrah for Fourth of JULY" he
cried. Americans! Americans! We're
about to jolt old Venice with real
Fourth of July celebration. Anybody
who can sing Yankee Doodle or
Dixie come over here and help. Unit
ed we stand: This is our day, gather
around, and We may even find some
body who knows the words tc
America
He sat down amid reproving glances
from the conservative members of his
party and rardonable patriotic grirs
from the others.
'Hurrah for Fourth Of July! We're
coming!" came a cry from the other
side of the square, and a minute later
-four young college fellows burst upon
the table of Americans.
welcome to our city; my names
Bowen, Belasco Bowen. Glad to see
you on this suspicious day; sit down
and quaff the sizzling fireworks drink,
,pyrotechnical champagne. Forward,
Americans" He beckoned to the
crowd about the band, and a number
of recruits came.
There's a New Yorker!" cried Be-
Iasco Bowen, spying the wiry little
man sitting at the next table slipping
his cafe noir little excitedly. Il can
tell him by his derby. Come on in;
the watered wine Is fine"
The Ionely-looking man picked up
his cup, and joined the party, introduc-
ing himself as Mr.. Hardy-none other
than Christopher Poe.
Nov all together!" cried Bowen,
well sing Yankee Doodle and sur
prise the natives. One. two, three!
Yankee Doodle came to town, a rid
ing" He picked up an empty bottle
and waved 1t as baton in time to the
lively song led by the college men sup
ported by dozen others. Passing Eu-
ropeans smiled indulgently at the mad
Americans, and quite crowd gathered
to enjoy the refreshing novelty.
Come on!" cried Bowen, as the
song came to an abrupt finish. We'll
make a raid on all the stores around
here, and see what we can scrape up
in the way of fireworks. Then We'll
hire launch and take trip on the
canal"
His enthusiasm was contagious; OF
the score of Americans only three
wished to drop out, and while the col
Iegians rushed of to find Chinese
store which might furnish fireworks,
Bowen banteringly persuaded Mr.. and
Mrs. Van Wentd, the chief dissenters,
that their daughter Constance would
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