Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1918-06-01
THEY FOLLOWED THE FLAG

thirteth was any different from April or
June thrieth. it was because it rained
May 3Oth and did not rain on the same
date the other months and rainy day was
always a good day as it was hol-
day. and the only kind of holiday
that was observed, except Christmas.
but Bob Lewis though bred and born in
the state. had wandered North and had
witnessed two Decoration Day ceremonies
in memory Of the Old Soldiers and the fires
Of patriotism had been set to burning in
his soul. But inspite of the fact that he
was doing well in the North he wanted to
see the old folks at home again, and so one
bright balmy morning in May, Bob stroled
in on the old folks thus giving them most
joyful surprise, ''IIe's drest to kill and
got lots of money! spread through the
ncighborhood like wild fire; and he was like
unto I}arn,m s "What Is It?''
When he showed up at the monthly
meeting. which was presided over by
"Eldcr' Hardy. most "pOwerful
preacher. and for once, the elder came dan
gerouS y close to losing his efficacy Bob
in no hurry to 90 into the "m6etin'
house, and as long as he remained ON the
outside the crowd was almost equally di-
vided between the ms and outs, but he was
reIiyiously inclined and so he finally went
in and instead of ''sitin among sinners' he
marched close up to the amen corner and
took seat among the bretheren land he
amt got no ligon either,' whispered the
sisters and brothers, but he had been gone
a long time and all were too glad to see
him to hurt his feelings right in the "meet-
ing house, Now Bob had always been a good
fellow and everybody liked him and since he
had gone North and got some sense he was
liOnizo1 aft ,OantipO was ont
He visited here and there for a week or
so and occasionally went to the field and
helped the old folks chop the grass out of
the cotton. Things had almost settled down
to their normal condition, but here comes
Decoration Day and Bob proposed to the
nei ghborhOOd to take a general holiday by
remembering their dead and decorating their
graves with flowers and having religious
services right in the middle Of the week.
If you would Haunt a red rag in bulls
face, you would not rouse his fighting blood
any quicker than to observe Decoration
Day among the old time secesh Of the South.
He hates that day because it's paying tribute
to the Yankees, who licked the Rebs and the
Fourth of July is equally as obnoxious to
him because Vicksburg fell on that date.
'You don f,rgit yoself Bob Lewis and if
you has any preachn here in de week desc
w llllt lONS Will ~ HUI HOu SllO dS duy ClllHS
warned his father and mother and Elder
Hardy told him week days wus made flor
niggers to wuk and | sho is not gwine to
preach in de middle of de week." So Bob s
Decoration Day services fell through and
the idea only family reached the ears of the
white folks living Whereabouts. The month
of June was soon gone and Bob was still at
the old home and while his patriotism had
been smothered Decoration Day he did not
propose to permit the Fourth Of July to
pass without his pent up patriotism burst
ing forth on the nations galOrous natal day,
and to that end he made the necessary prep
arations to enjoy himself. On the morning
of the Fourth, Bob not only refused to 90
to the field to work himself but prevailed
on his parents to not do so and worst of
ALL at least down there, he tied an American
flag to a pole and set it up in the yard and
then proceeded to shoot fire crackers an
unheard of thing at that time Of the year.
Bob was having the time of his life simply