Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-12-29
THE FOURTH


biscSle Boys pistol. and the pea-Shot
MT the stone wall underneath the blue
and yellow target
Shiver. shudder. culver. quake
went Blackie Boys girl mother. stand
ING ar the kitchen window with the
heaviest water pail in her hands. self
plying with q vim. because father
had forgotten 10 I'll II.
Good for YOU son, Aim Ike this,
Seer doomed Blsckie Boys boy IA
Their from the side lines under the ap-
pie Tree.
Biackie Boy ained- Then it hap
pened-
Blackie Boy began 10 yell. then he
yelled harder He flung his pistol into
the grapevineS. then himself on the
ground. and kicked He screamed
And Blacsie Boy wss gathered into
plump white arms and mothers
voice and her yellow fiSfy hair and
/ the green grass were all around him,
groSied- Ike thUnderhish up and
away
Whats the matter with the kids
Can't find s place where he's hurt
You sot him nervous watching him -
The lips that were saying soothing
things TO Blaekie Boy. as the hands
searched for the hurt. shut hard. If
\ YOU hadn't insisted On the pistol. Tom
1T killed me. jeS- Ike muvver said
Boy.
where did II hurt mothers boyT'
4 won't NOT ten you.r bawlei
Blackie Boy. sitting on his far hands
You go way Sturdy LEGS kicked
into mothers square chin I'm
kilGed-~ Then ne drew 8 long. breath
That's The stuff. Be = ulaas-ssl-
Tised father. BE 8 nan. Blaekie
son
The boz srbssde1 sobfully-
YES. a MANI breathed mother
+ pcrtfuc every inch OF the round little
body. a nfre example yoU 81 youT
son On 2 holiday aT73 on our fourth
wedding anniverSarv- that oush; =
Re holy 70 you- taking him away ara
teaching him 90 use firearms Ths
year he cane you we7Akind- and
free 70 do as liked
This Is the year NJ the dependence
OF NTrs- Black. and Of the independents
~ the c. : 4. the one Hundred and
F'orty-f0urth-- mocEed Tom Black. s.
Heck Of an idea being married OF
the Fourth OF July. anyway"
-Or any tine. said Blsckie's moth
ar eriSpIy- And now you've lost an
pride about talking Ike this befo7'
him / want my freedom. I tell You
and I'm going 10 have f. and I'm 20
ing 10 take Blackie Boy with ne
noxl He's Just scared OF III
naughty pistol Mother knows
Father turned On his heel ans
rruubIed himself into the house
And all the time father knew tha
! lately he had been getting irritabl
and bossy and unreasonable
Making a fourth anniversary cak
Just the same. IS sheT
Down among the yellow. daisie
, mother was saying 70 q REASONABLE
oufet Blackie Boy. What made 20
scream Ike thatr Tell me-"
st won't not tell you I was man.
said Blackfe Boy. thrusting his lef
; hand into his blouse T won't No
show You my hand that's Killed. ]
gre goin' 70 have a pinnie TO-DAY
muvver
Would you Ike 70 90 away wit
mother all the timez- whispered IN
: little voice And mother could wor
: lid tap typewriter and get lots q
: money the way she used 10 and bu
.. drum for Blackie Boy. and ever
|. dav we'd have q picnicf-
And all the time Blackie Boy
mother was talking she was thinkin
how silly and Jealous and unreasons
bic she had been lately
= HWould you Ike to live with jus
. muvvyYs asked Blackie Boys mothe
2 Il Inv muyvy an luv favyer." sal
l. Blacsie Boy. AN for two sens she-
< r7uyver an i show favver my han al
Iwas a man. muvyer. an / didn't RC
L cvy not much Come an I'm favver-
They found father washing the cool
ing dishes. with a sheepish eIpressio
: on his face
-Ook. faFTerI- begger Blackie Bo,
4 ttrustfng out his little left hand An
: the fat pink knuckIes were pinker an
q nufier than usual where just an ord
C nary baby humble bee had sat dow
IT didn't not cry much an its
q wight now want two sens. sal
Rlackfe Boy. AN i wan TO Tin N
! pffie an a pinnic"
THAT'S il, son." said father chez
: fully. HE wants your pinnic and
; wants my piffie. mother. and / wal
l. your cake and-sIniIes- and you want
. well. we all want pinnics together 4
e deDendenr on the rest OF US and "
= Ike IL Frost that wedding cake an
z TIL make a tin pan drum and We
: starr all over again I've been too cro'
to live"
. won't you fiji that water-pailf II
: awfuIIv heavy And then find his pi
e toll OF course yOu wouldn't let hi
n have anything that would hurt him
said mother promptly
q Sure, III I'll the pail" said fathe
!. why didn't you ask me befOrez Ii
70 have you notice I'm round And
= drum Is better than q pistol any d
for little shaver. Ell song"
E. i wan, favver's rifle an muEveI
T. d-vUrr- said PIacEie PoF San nj