THE FOURTH OF JULY. 179

Mr. Starr; while Howard shook hands cor-
dially with Tom.

“This is my father, Mr. Starr,” replied
Bessie.

Mr. Starr bowed politely, and continued :

“ But, Bessie, were you not what is some-
times called spunky, the last time you were at
the Lawn ?”

“T thought I had reason to be,” she replied,
reddening like one of the peonies in the neigh-
borhood. |

** My little Bess!” exclaimed her father,
“what made you spunky?”

Bessie.—Because Ada Framingham would
not come out in the piazza, and take some
flowers I brought her—some flowers from my
own garden. I left the basket she gave me,
because I didn’t wish to keep her present if
she wouldn’t take mine.

Mixon.—That was wrong, Bessie. You know
Miss Ada Cramer is the daughter of a rich
man, and you are only my daughter, and I
am not rich.

Bessie.—Goodness me! I don’t care for
that, father. We are rich enough; for we