The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-11-25
sIY INDEPENDENCE-DAY

HY INDEPENDESCE-DA
The 4ih OF Jaiy, SOS, With al the haliowed
associai,ous o. the past AID is promise ia the
th' Cbo.ug present. hAs passed away but it came
to he 80 ireighIed wiki the memory Of az event
ful day il ny life that cannot sail smoothly on
wi,b OLD Tempus without first unbuTd-ning my
self Tustug that now and then some fretted
Traveller as be journeys o. may be tempted TO
peep into and profit by ny budget, cas-, it upon
the highway
bad Oeen dining out. The meats served on
the occasion were good the wines superb, the
speeches we're brilliant aud better than all NV
Own unprecedented remarks, which, by a singu-
lar coincidence, had haunted ne for the pass
tour days had been received with decided eclat
Il was oa the nignL OF the Sd of July, s5--
The show windows acre gorgeous With their
d sp.ay ot fireworks, aad under the peculiar
4 cker and mulIipiicaon Of the gas-hehts. the
iOckeLs and pin-Wheels seemed 10 be having
premature hOhc On their own account.
On the whole, felt peculiarly happy and ami
able. A bright eyed. rosy beggar child asked
ne for sixpence she was starving she said
Ny heart vas touched, and threw her small
handful oi silver. Three young gentlemen came
SWayiug arm IL arm along The sidewalk, jostlng
me rather roaghly. At any other time | might
have been indignant; but now were they not
men and brothers: | oO~ed gracefully, and at
the same time, l telt confident, with dignity, and
stepped of he cUgb-stone 10 allow them 10 pass
At last | reached NY own door The lock was
out Of order, for nv kes would NOT turn it,
rang, first the door KNOB, then the DELL, violently
Ny next door neghbor, Mr.. Green, came 10 the
door In his calcO wrapper.
"Ah, Mr Green" | exclaimed, steadying the
toIterng door post, delighted tsee you Is
my-lny vile 10 p
Mr.. Green seized me somewhat roughly by
the arm, thereby seriously inconveniencing me,
as be pitched about considerably and led me 10
a ueg boring door.
Where Is my night key, Mr.. F-:" he
asked, grufiy.
There were about six pockets in my vest Oh
that occasion but after while / discovered
the right one, ana produced the KEY with q DO
lite bow.
The next Instant found myself inside, the
door closed, and the Only visible link between
myself aud the second story, swinging violently
backward and forward, IN the shape OF d diving
gas jet suspended from the ceiling. Ny effort
10 resuscitate the spark resulted 10 total dark
ness
After grouping about for a while found the
stairway, and, elutcning the baluster, commenced
10 ascend. This feat Was attended With so much
difficulty that / was Induced 10 bring the full
iorce OF my reasoning powers 10 bear upon the
performance, aud soon discovered that | had
oeen trying To mount the rat rack Abandon
ing the enterprise, with a smile of superiority
over my weaker self, proceeded in nv search,
and finally planted my foot firmly upon the low
est step. Alas step number two convinced me
OF my error, and our Tommy's ues velocipede
toppled over with a crash casting me PROSTATE
beside IT, Then saw fash of light. and soon,
approaching nearer and reareT, las though let
down by rope from the upper regions. the
white rooed, graceful form Of my oldest daugh-
ter, kuty Rising aid Offering her ny arm We
ascended the stairs together A. she left NE al
ne room door, | turned and gave her 10Y paIer-
nal blessing She Nas visoly effected, even
bursting into tears and excaimiug, "Oh, fatheri -
as she hurried away.
The next morning | found myself on the spare
room bed with ali I1y clothes o., except nv era
vat aud oue boot. The cravat was on the hearth
and the boot was on the mantlepiece. Guns
we're booming, fire crackers we're swapping, the
din Of powder and the merry voices filed the
air | could hear my own youngsters shouting
Out Justify II the garden, aud 10 the hall the first
bell was tiuging its summons through the house
I IL was the fourth OF July, sure enough, and I,
as neao OF the family, must present myself ia
suitable array al the breakfast table and inaugu-
rate the j5llties OF the day. | seized the boot
il one hand aud the cravat in the other, and
proceeded meekiy 10 the apartment generally
used by Mrs P and myself
"Ah Mrs. r. said l. bowinE rather
sheepsbly in my attempt to pass the affair of a:
joke, " Good morning, ma'am.r
/ Good morning, john" replied my wife, not
shade Of crOssness il her tone. - must &c
down and watch the children, or they may &c
/ some mischief With their pistols ard fire crack.
ers, but CONE 10 breakfast as soon as you can
With these words she left the room | va:
s.most-sorry she dIdu't scold or - 90 OF little
concerning my spree. This sad, gentle wsy oi
speaking made me uncomfortable, cough anC
strut about the room as would, for knew wei
enough the pain and disgust gnawing at hel
heart, aud that during the past year had give1
her too frequent cause for the reproaches thai
never came, though l was prepared to receive
them after every offence
Cold water, however, and clean clothes brscec
NE up somewhat, and soon alter the second
bell rang | stfode nsjestically through ths
halls, severe IN my dignity as hesd OF the house
noid- Reaching The basement door | paused /
moment bali dresding 10 meet the rows q
young faces oa either slGe oi the table, and ms
"le : sweet, pale cOunJsnsnca beaming so Quiet
ly over them all This momenlary weaknes.
over, WIKI a pouDcGs aha,n," mustered the
requisite manner and entered.
There was no one al tae table. and only Kitty
vas IN the room-Kitty, nv usually jovous siri
now standing IN pensive attitude bv the win
dow.
IL was important that my child should respec
me- and ielt, OF course, anxious 10 obIterat.
from her mind any impression OF weakness
might have given her TIE previous might.
This is glorious day, Kntyi" exclaimed
expansiveiy-"A glorious day ny child; the ds,