Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-11-04
THE FOURTH
BY MYRTA ALICE LITTLE.

Blackie Boys pistol and the pea-shot
hit the stone wall underneath the blue
and yellow target.
"Shiver, shudder, culver, quake"
went Blackie Boys girl mother, stand
Ing at the kitchen window with the
heaviest water pail in her hands, self
plying with VIM because father
had forgotten to fill it,
Good for you, son. Aim like this
See" doomed BIackie Boys boy ia
ther from the side lines under the APP
pie tree.
Blackie Boy aimed Then it hap
pened
Backie Boy began TO yell, then he
yelled harder. He flung his pistol into
the grapevines, then himself on the
ground, and kicked. He screamed
And Blackie Boy was gathered into
plump, white arms, and mothers
voice and her yellow fluffy hair and
the green grass were all around him,
while father stood on one foot and
growled like Handkerchief up and !
away.
whats the matter with the kid? !
Can't find a place where he's hurt.
You got him nervous watching him"
The lips that were saying soothing
things to Blackie Boy, as the hands
| searched for the hurt shut hard. IF
you hadn't insisted on the pistol, Tom
ut killed me, jes' like muvver said
pifles killed folks" sobbed Blackie
Boy.
"Where did it hurt mothers boy?"
81 won't not tell you" bawled
Blackie Boy, sitting on his fat hands.
you go way" Sturdy legs kicked
into mothers square chin. I'm
killed." Then he drew a long breath. I
"That's the stuff. Be a man." adj !
vised father. "Be a man, Blackie
son." +
The boy subsidized sobfully. S
Eyes, a MANI" breathed mother, E
patting every inch of the round little
body. "A nice example you set your Z
son on holiday and on our fourth 6
wedding anniversary, that ought to E
be holy 70 you, taking MIN away ana :
teaching him to use firearms. The q
SSAa hC NdihC sOu hinu, anu III
you've had spells since-and was 8
free to do as liked" Is
This is the year Of the dependence U
of Mrs. Black, and of the independence iU
of the U. S. A. the One Hundred and IN
Knocked Tom Black, Sr. p
Heck Of an idea being married on Vi
the Fourth of July, anyway" u!
Or
er crisply. "And now you've lost any 81
pride about talking like this before 81
him. I want my freedom, l tell you l9FF
and I'm going to have it, and I'm 60 lJc
ng to take Blackie Boy with me- ~
now He's just scared of the 5l
naughty pistol. Mother knows" VI
Father turned on his heel and [4E
himself into the house. IN!
And all the time father knew that 5l
ately he had been getting irritable S1
nd bossy and unreasonable rs
making a fourth anniversary cake fiS
ust the same, is she?" ~
Down among the yellow daisies Sl
mother was saying to a reasonably US
uiet Blackie Boy, "What made you iJG
cream like that? Tell me-" Sg
II won't not tell you. was a man." S6l
aid Blackie Boy thrustlng his left g56
and into his blouse. 81 won't not uE
how you my hand that's killed. is ny
e goin' to have a pinnic today. an
uvver?" US
would you like to go away with uE
other all the timer" whispered the S STT9g
tile voice. And mother could work S[l
p tap typewriter and get lots of 9966l
oney the way she used to and buy [uS
drum for Blackie Boy, and every SSiY9
~ we'd have a picnicw Sl
And all the time Blackie Bows 96l
other was talking she was thinking u6
Nv silly and jealous and unreasona- III
e she had been lately. 5q
would you like to live with lust S6l
lvvy?" asked Blackie Boys mother. Us
Il luv muvvy an l luv favver" said fIS
ackie Boy. "An' for two sens show Slg
lvver an l show favver my han an S1
vas a man, muvver an didn't not vs.
Y not much. Come an fin favver." uE
They found father washing the cook SSR9
, dishes, with a sheepsh expression Sl
his face VS.
'Ook. favver" begger Blackie Bow. l5
usting out his little left hand. And ny
fat pink knuckles We're pinker and S@
Her than usual, where just an ordi- S6l
y baby humble bee had sat down. q5
didn't not cry much an it's all iJg
'ht now. I want two sens" said 5g
ckie Boy. AN I wan to fin nv S0
lie an a pinnic." Us
That's it, son." said father cheer NE
Y. He wants your pinnic and he SHIgI
ITS my pifiie, mother, and l want SD
r cake and-smiles, and you want 96f
!, we all want pinnics together All UE
endent on the rest of us and we ~
1t. Frost that wedding cake and m
make tin pan drum and wen S6