"I thought you were such a good hand at history.

Why, haven't you ever heard of our glorious Declaration of Independence, when the free states of America severed the hated yoke that bound them under the thraldom of the tyrant England ?" "Oh, yes, I forgot.

I'm sure I beg your pardon for not recollecting what must be to you a sacred day!" said Fritz, somewhat deceived by the girl's affected enthusiasm, Celia having spoken as grandiloquently as if she were an actress declaiming tragedy.
"Sacred day, fiddlesticks!" she replied, laughing at his grave face and solemn manner.

"I guess we don't worry ourselves much about that! We try and have a good time of it, and leave it to the politicians and skallywags to do the speechifying and bunkum! The boys have the best time of it, I reckon." "Yes," he replied, his ideas as to the patriotic associations of American citizens considerably modified.

"They seem to enjoy themselves, if the noise they're making affords any criterion of that!" "I guess so," answered the girl.