Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-05-04
THE STORY OF cu.,,v, vo,n
Davy Crockett The Celebration"
By MEADowCRoFT
BY ENID LA MONTE MEADOWCROFT
The Story So Far

road.
Taking boat up the Hoston River, Davy and his
brother Bill bag five squirrels and Days first raccOon
where's MAJ" Davy asks proud to show of his trophy
and hoping she'll make him coonskin cap. Davy brings
deep chuckle to the lips of Wagon Driver John Dunn
when he tells his older brother Jim, how he grinned"
the out of tree while Bill had the rife But Davys
Pa wonders whether the boy off in the woods half the
time, will ever amount to anything.
Davy grunted and opened one eye. "Quit shak-
ing me, he said to Wilson. I'm awake"
3d better get up PAWS brother I0
the settlement have started coming"
what folks?" Davy asked half asleep. Then sud-
He Sprang out OF bed Grabbing his trousers, he
pulled them on hastily.
It was Fourth of July! Independence Day!
People from miles around coming to celebrate
with frolic in the tavern yard
He slipped his arms into his brown linsey shirt
and combed his hair with his fingers In no time he
Scramblng down the ladder.
It was splendid day, with the sky as blue as
Beckys shortgown. And the yard was already filling
up with people.
There were girls and boys of all ages. There were
women carrying babies. And other women carrying
big baskets filled with food.
There were men with rifles, who planned to take
part in the shooting match later.
Before long, Jed Flint arrived with the drum he
had carried in the Revolutionary War. Abe Tobin had
his fife. And man named Blake brought big
American flag
Davy ran to fetch an axe and CHOPPED down a
Mr. Blake tied it to the pole rope. Davy had never
seen flag before and he counted the stars curousy
There were Is.
They're real pretty, amt they?" Davy said
Mr.. Blake nodded. There's star for each State
in the Union except Tennessee, he told the boy as
beo en6 the SRe flag was maze
he cried.
loudly on his drum. Abe Tobn played Yankee
Doodle" on his fife. The crowd became quiet And
up went the Red, White and Blue.
Then all the men with rifles fired them off with
a great bang Someone shouted, Three cheers for
the United States of America"
"Hurray!", yelled the people. "Hurray!"
"The good free United States!" another man
shouted Lets hope she always stays free"
A little wind caught the flag and blew it out
against the sky. Davy's heart fluttered.
He didn't know much about his country He
didn't know how big it was or what lay beyond it But
something about that flag made him feel good all
over. "Hurray!" he shouted all by himself.
Once more the men shot off their rifles AS the
smoke cleared away, the people began to talk again
Then it was time for the games.
Inc wrestling matches came first and lasted a
long time Next came the foot races one for the men
and one for the boys.
Davy ran like deer in the boys race and won
it with no trouble at all But in the knifethrowing
contest he threw his knife too far.
1t was noon when this contest was over and
everyone was ready for dinner. So the women sat
down on logs or tree supS and opened their baskets
OF food and gathered their children around them
The men gave everybody juicy hunks of warm
yenlson and bear meat which they had roasted over
hot Goals in pit
Davy ate and ate and ate. Finally he wiped his
mouth on the back of his hand
te I'm fu he ANNOUNCED me happily when does
Il don't know" his mother replied rubbing
some bear grease from sallys chin. THAT Mr. Blake
who's just settled here has asked your pa if he can't
nave meeting first He aims to start school for
the settlement"
Davy looked alarmed st don't want one," he
declared hastily
me neither" Wilson added. II won't CO."
"You will if your pa tells you to- his mother
said sal firmly Land sakes! Here you are 10 years
can even write your name"
But, Ma" Davy broke in Il don't
"HuSh!" his mother commanded Here's your
pa now to tell about the meeting"
And there was Pa Crockett, standing on the
tavern steps and banging on pan to make folks
listen to him He told them all that the meeting was
just for grownups So the girls went off to the wood
lot for game of Blind Mans Bluff. The boys
started for the Holston River.
They had such good fun swimming that they
almost forgot about the shooting match: At the
sound of the first shot, they started spashng out
OF the water. In few minutes they were dressed
and racing for the tavern
The men had been shooting at board which
was nailed to big oak tree. Now they were trying
to hit horn button in the center of the board.
One after another they tried it. Some
close, but none succeeded. Then lanky Tim Taylor
raised his rifle. He was the best hunter for miles
around.
"Zing!" went Tins bullet, straight to the mark
The button disappeared as it broke into tiny pieces.
The crowd cheered Davy looked up at Tim admir-
ingy,
81 bet you could hit mosquito right between
the eyes if you wanted to-" Davy said 81 aim to
shoot as good as you do some day
Tim Taylor laughed. "You don't need to, young
un," hegsaid. "Al you have to do is grin at coon
and he falls right down out of tree At least that's
what John Dunn told me-"
Davys face turned red. But he beamed happily
when Tim handed him his rifle -.
shes loaded, SON said Tim, cycling the boy
with kindly smile. want to try one shot?"