declared outlaw if
_rom
whined. “Just how far does this—this ‘American territory’ extend?”
Heinrich turned to Mike for the answer. Mike said nothing. He just gave the commanding officer a stare.
A few months later, the officer found himself another employer. The Tsar. Russia, he thought, would be far enough.
Chapter 29
It may or may not have been July Fourth, depending on whom you asked. The division ran essentially along religious lines, but not entirely. The modern Gregorian calendar had been decreed by a papal bull in 1582, and was immediately adopted by Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. Within two years, most of the Catholic states of the Holy Roman Empire had followed suit, along with those portions of the Low Countries still under Spanish control. The Swiss started the process in 1583, but stalled immediately—the new calendar would not be accepted in the entire country until 1812. And the Hungarians took it for their own in 1587.
Then . . . Nothing, for a century. The Protestant and Orthodox nations dug in their heels and stayed with the Julian calendar.
So, what day was it? Well, according to the Scots cavalrymen and the Protestants from Badenburg who had come for the celebration, it most certainly was not the Fourth of July. Preposterous! It was—
No matter. Grantville was an American town, and the Americans said it was the Fourth of July. And besides—
Everybody loves a parade!
As official parades go, it was utterly disorganized. Henry Dreeson had tried desperately to bring rhyme and reason to the marching order, but the mayor had been overwhelmed by events and enthusiasm. Events, in that everyone was too preoccupied with integrating the former Catholic prisoners into their new world. Enthusiasm, in that the high-school students had their own opinion on the proper order of things. Especially Julie Sims, who led the rebellion with verve and élan.
The town’s mayor was 車 買い取り one man, in his sixties. He lost.
Cheerleaders first.
When they heard the news, the Scotsmen were delighted. They were less delighted—downright disgruntled—when they discovered their own assigned place in the parade.
Tha’ far back? We’ll nae see nothin’ o’ those high-steppin’ knees! Ridic’lous!
So, the first little fray in the marching order began. Calvinists all, the Scots cavalrymen knew that man was born in sin and they were bound and determined to prove it. A full third of them had left their place in the parade before it even started. The parade route being jammed full of people, the Scots rebels cheerfully trotted their mounts down the side streets and alleys until they found the proper vantage points from which to observe the parade. And why not? It wasn’t as if their horses needed the exercise.
Despite his own avid desire to admire Julie’s knees, Mackay tried h