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Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O’er the ra?”

Froainst the blue sky, the Stars and Stripes were fluttering Everybody looked at the Aht

Then everyone sat down, and a Congressman stood up on a platform Slowly and solemnly he read the Declaration of Independence

“When in the course of human events it beco the powers of the earth the separate and equal station… We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”

Almanzo felt solemn and very proud

Then two h tariffs, and one believed in free trade All the grown-ups listened hard, but Alan to be hungry He was glad when the band played again

The ay; the bandsmen in their blue and red and their brass buttons tootled merrily, and the fat drus were fluttering and everybody was happy, because they were free and independent and this was Independence Day And it was time to eat dinner

Alirls spread the picnic lunch on the grass in the churchyard Many others were picnicking there, too, and after he had eaten all he could Almanzo went back to the Square

There was a le posts A lass, and a crowd of the town boys were standing around him Cousin Frank was there Aloing to buy leht a glass of the pink lemonade and drank it slowly He smacked his lips and rubbed his stomach and said: “Mmmm! Why don’t you buy some?”

“Where’d you get the nickel?” Alave him a penny every Sunday to put in the collection-box in church; he had never had any other ives me a nickel every time I ask him”

“Well, so would my father if I asked him,” said Almanzo

“Well, why don’t you ask hiive Almanzo a nickel Almanzo did not knohether Father would, or not

“Because I don’t want to,” he said

“He wouldn’t give you a nickel,” Frank said