Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-08-20

JQsY1 DO
York, is taken from an artick on the subject
in a late National Advocate I-Aag. Adv.
SIN our city the Fousth of July seems
to have commenced On the afternoon OF
the Sd. A number Of booths are erec-
ted around the Park, tents are pitched,
stakes driven in the e.rth, ''the clink
of hammers and ths noise of saws are
heard, and before night these tempo
rary tenements, covered with canvass
are al ready, the tables inside groan
with she weight dpies, alamode beef,
boiled Holsters, roast pig, bottles OF
aqua uite, shrub Irish Whiskey, peach
brandy, wine punch soda water ginger
pop, and spruce beer. The fat landla-
dy, with an ayron on ready to wait on
customers, ana the lamp suspended from
above, throws a bright glare on the
cheerful dbplay below; and now the
| million move round the Park, the littie
boys set fire to their crackers, the Band
at the Museum strike up a martial air,
and the day is fairly initiated with Jo-
cund, mir,h, and ahouts of liberty. AT
| dawn on the morning Of the fourth, we
heard salyos of artillery fired by the
veterans, from the Battery. The must
cal bells of Trinity Church chime a
patriotic air, the deep tones of St,
Paul's are heard floating OF the MORN
ing breeze, the modest bell of the mar
BILE Hall, mingles its brazen sound with
the other linking tell tales of the city,
and all is animation. The soldier with
his polished musket and nodding plume,
the light horseman %gafloping towards
his quarters, the staff officers ~glittering
with gold, and pieces of shining brass
cannon are seen on their way to Hud-
son .street, where the line is formed.
And now the female world is also in
motion, no ~squalied looks, or mean
h~abiliments; dresses neat, some ever
splendid, new bonnets, parasols, spark
ling eyes and joyful movements, some
having the arms of their sweethearts,
others alone, making for the City Hall
and Park; the windows filled with beau.
ty and fashion, the dazzling complex
ions, sparkling eyes, auburn .tresses,
flirting of fans, waving of handker-
chiefs, and nodding of heads to the
military or the civic societies, with
their flags and standards; all lis hustle
in the Park to see the review.
And now the sun, at its meridian
height, darts, his fiery rays on the an
mated crowd in the park; the feu de
joii is furnished; intense heat produces
intense thirst, and on all sides we hear
the popping of corks and the rafting of
glasses. The booths are filling with
the crowd; slices of cold ham and cher
~ pie are handed to the numerous Gus.
toners. Here sits a lame fiddler, scrap
ing with furious movement of the arm
and roll of head, a patriotic air of the
New. England states. A tall, lank
countrymap, seated on the head of an
empty barrel, has just finished the first
SO verses of a song beginning with,
Don't goa see the ship a-coming.'
which he vociferates with a loud voice
and nasal twang.-Here are two pretty
Flatbush girls, with their daddy, de-
lighted at the busy motley coloured
group; there sits two k~entuckians, full
of glee and whiskey, swapping their
fingers, and keeping the company in a
roar with their droll jokes.-Crowds
and groups form in the Park; here a
ring with two persons engaged at fight
ing-black eyes and bloody noses;
there a scufle among the negroes; con-
stables with their slaves in motion
police office 1illed-cases heard and dis
missed. The sun sets in glorious maj
esty, dipping his reluctant beams in the
western wave, leaving the sky tinged
with orange and golden hues, affording
st;ll q stropC and fayarahle TWILIGHT -