Short stories; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
The first that most of us know about it is when we see the bills up,
telling how much excursion rates will be to our town from Ostrander
and Mt. Victory, and Wapatomica, and New Berlin, and Foster's,
and Caledonia, and Mechanicsburg--all the towns around on both the
railroads. But before that there was the Citizens' Committee, and then
the Executive Committee, and the Finance Committee, and the Committee
on Press and Publicity, and Printing and Prizes, and Decorations and
Badges, and Music, and Reception to Firemen, and Reception to Guests--as
many committees as there are nails in the fence from your house to mine.
And these committees come around and tell you that we want to show the
folks that we've got public spirit in our town, some spunk, some git-up
to us. We want our town to contrast favorably with Caledonia where they
had the Tournament last year. We want to put it all over the Caledonia
people (they think they're so smart), and we can do it, too, if
everybody will take a-holt and help. Well, we want all we can get. We
expect a pretty generous offer from you, for one. Man that has as pretty
and tasty got-up store as you have, and does the business that you do,
ought to show his appreciation of the town and try to help along....
Oh, anything you're a mind to give. 'Most anything comes in handy for
prizes. But what we principally need is cash, ready cash. You see,
there's a good deal of expense attached to an enterprise of this
character. So many little things you wouldn't think of, that you've
just got to have. But laws! you'll make it all back and more, too. We
cackleate there'll be, at the very least, ten thousand people in town
that day, and it's just naturally bound to be that some of them will do
their trading.
Thank you very much, that's very handsome of you. Good day. (What are
you growling about? Lucky to get five cents out of that man.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account