Mr. Hegan laughed. "Exactly what King George said, I have no doubt. Let me acknowledge it when my reign is justly over. Tom shall go to college in the fall, and Joan—she shall decide for herself on a governess. My two eldest are now a man and a woman, not my children after to-day. Shall we go to luncheon? When the heroine of the hour calls loudly for bread and beef we old folks needn't stop to be sentimental."
"I suppose," said the Bishop, "that Independent States and States of Independence are nearly the same thing. Are we to have a celebration?"
"Undoubtedly," laughed Mr. Hegan. "There are our conquerors calling us. Yes, children, we are coming."
[FREDDY SOLILOQUIZES—JULY 4, 1896.]
He's a very wise man,
The Calendar Man;
He fixes the year just right;
He has a good plan,
As every one can
Discern at the very first sight.
He knows that the very best days of the year
Are Christmas and Fourth of July,
And it would have been very unpleasant and queer
If he'd gone and arranged 'em close by.
But with one in December and the other one now,
The calendar's all right for fun.
There's time to recover from one, anyhow,
Before the other's begun.