The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-03

hands she had, Ior tney were Hylng
in every direction at once.
I've always wanted to see the
Liberty Bell cried Marjorie happily,
because | want it to make me feel
free, so I'll not have to mind anybody,
but just be independent!
Marjorie's father and mother laugh
ed aloud at that, because they knew
that her kind little heart would al
ways make her not only free, but
bound to help others.
''Of course you want to go down to
the station with us in the automobile, .
said Marjories father to her on the
day when the big bell was to come.
'tOf course / do not want to- said
Marjorie. I'm going to march with
my school,
Mariorie's father was the richest
man in the little town where they
lived, and the president of the school
board, but Marjorie insisted on hav-
ing things just as the rest of her play
mates had them.
Il don't want to get things done for
me because you deserve them. | only
want to get them when / deserve
Them Marjorie had said to her faith
er one day, and he felt that she was
right; so that was why she could say
mo" so plainly when he asked her
whether she wished to go with him
to see the Liberty Bell.
81 want to march with the rest OF
them," she said. II just want to be
a plain American citizen when l see
the Liberty Bell, because the teacher
said we must all stand together If we
| want to be free nation"
81 see," said Marjories father
winking one eye at Marjorie's mother
And so "plain American" was all
| that Marjorie was as she marched
down the dusty road to the railway
station at 10 o'clock in the morning
| of that glorious autumn day when the
| Liberty Bell came.
When they got to the station and
| the great train rolled in, with the
big bronze bell all decorated and
mounted on platform SO that the
| children could see it, there was a
| pushing and showing, and then, with
a quick rush of little feet, the orderly
procession broke into a scramble fol
were not orderly they had to waste
good deal of time getting into line
again, and for little while it seem
ed that no one at all would have q
chance to see the Liberty Bell.
When they did get back into some
| sort of line, Marjorie found herself
on the outer edge of the crowd, with
a little crippled Japanese boy right
| in front of her and a little brown
eyed Mexican girl clinging to hel
skirt behind.
| ooh, these two are the very help
lessest ones of the whole school" she
said to herself "And of course II
never get away from them, but'-she
added in her friendly little mind
some one has got to help 'em out
and it might just as well be me-
Pretty soon a big strong man came
up right behind them. He was 9
friend of Mariorie's father and
mother; SO he said Hello Marjorie
Here, jump upon my shoulder and III
| take you up in front, where you car
see."
Marjorie thought, of the two help
less ones, and answered cheerfully
! please take little Adachi first. He's
crippled, you see, and he'll never get
| there alone. Besides, he's only just
learning to be an American, and see
ing the Liberty Bell will do him sc
much good, and I've been an American
all my life IL
The big man smiled; but he took
the little crippled Adachi up on his
shoulder and carried him forward
through the crowd until the little
brown boy could see every bit of the
big Liberty Bell.
When the little crippled boy looked
at the big bell, something warm
stirred in his heart and he thought to
himself, 1T must be grand bell and
grand country where such a beauti-
full little girl makes way and gives
the first place to little crippled
foreign boy like me.
When the man came back with
Adachi, he said, Jump up, quick, Mar
iorie, and we'll see it YETI
But, please" Marjorie answered,
take little Marcia first. She's SO
little she'll never get there herself,
and she. ought to see it, because she's
only been real American for three
weeks"
Then the man swung little brown
Marcia up to his shoulder and went
forward through the crowd again
until she, too, had seen the big bell.
ITS a good American BELL" little
Marcela thought to herself. ut makes
nice, kind teacher, and a pretty
school and good little girl like Mar
jorie.
Then the man came back again, and
put little Marcia down very gently
by the little crippled Adachi.
Now, jump quick, Marjorie!" he
said. 1--WE shall have to hurry. The
train is starting, but maybe you'll see
| it yet"
Then up on his big shoulder Mar
| jorie jumped, and away they hurried
as fast as they could; but the bic
engine was already putting and smok
ing and ringing its bell, and before the
big man and the little girl could gel
Il "a u