Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-10-01
Moral TaIs.
MY INDEPENDENCE DAY.

had been dining out. The meats
served on the occasion were good, the
wines superb. the speeches brilliant,
and, better than all, my own unpreme-
dated remarks, which, by singular
coincidence, had haunted me for the
past four days, had been received
with decided eclat. 1t was on the
night Of the Sd of July, 1855. The
shop-windows were gorgeous with
the display of fire works, and the Pc
culiar flicker and multiplication of the
gass-lights the rockets and pin-wheels
seemed to be having premature
frolic on their own account.
On the whole, | felt peculiarly hap
py and amiable. \ 1risht-eycd, rosy,
beggar.child asked me for sixpence !:
she was starving, she said. My heart
was touched, and | threw her small
hand full Of silver Three young gen
tlemcn came swaying arm in arm
along the sid-walk, jnstling me rath-
er roughly. At any other time !
might have been Indignant but now
were they not men and brothers. ]
bowed gracefully, and at the same
time, / felt confident, with dignity
and stepped off the curb-stone to allow
them To pass. At last | reached my
own door. The lock was out of order
for my key would not turn it. rang
first the door-knob, then the bell, vio,
lently. My next door neighbor, Mr..
Green. came to the door in his calico
wrapper.
"Ah, Mr.. Green" I exclaimed.
steadying the tottering door.post,
delighted t'see you. Is my-my
wife in ?"
Mr.. Green seized me somewhat
roughly by the arm, thereby seriously
inconveniencing me Gas he pitched
about considerably, and led me to a
neighboring door.
Where is your night-key, Mr.
F-?" he asked, gruffly.
There were about six pockets in my
vest on that occasion but after 6
while | discovered the right one, and
produced the key, with polite bow
The next instant found myself in.
side, the door closed, and the only visi
BILE link between myself and the Sec
ond story, swinging violently back
ward and forward in the shape of a
dying gasjet suspended from the
ceiling My effort to resuscitate the
spark resulted in total darkness.
After cropping about for while
found the stairway. and clutching the
/ baluster, commenced To ascend. This
feat was attended with so much diff
entity that | was induced to bring the
full force Of my reasoning powers. t.
bear upon the performance, and soor
discovered that | had been trying tt
mount the hat-rack. Abandoning the
enterprise, with smile of superiorit,
over my weaker self, proceeded i,
my search, and finally planted my
foot firmly upon the lowest step
Alas step number two convinced IN
of my error, and our Tommy's new vc
locipede toppled over with crash
casting me PROSTATE beside il. The
| saw fash Of light, and soon, aI
preaching nearer and nearer "a
though let down by a rope from tn
upper regions), the white-robed, grace
fnl form of my oldest daughter, Kitty
Rising and Offering her my arm W
ascendcd the stairs together. As sh
left me at the room-door turned am
solemnly gave her my patcrnal bless
ing. She was visibly affected. eve'
bursting into tears and exclaiming
Oh father /" as she hurried away.
The next morning found myself OF
the spareroom bed with all my clothe
, on. except my cravat aud one boot
!. The cravat was on the hearth and tn
: boot was on the mantle-piece. Gun
were booming, fire-crackcrs wer
. swapping, the din of powder and mcrr
Voices of children filled the air.
could hear my own youngsters shou
ing ont Justify in the garden, and |
the hall the first bell" tinglin
its summons through the house.
II 1t was the 4th Of July sure enough
4 and |, as head Of the family, must pr,
sent myself in suitable array at III
breakfast-table and inaugurate th
jollities OF the day seized the DO,
in one hand and the cravat in the otl
er, and proceeded meekly to III
apartment generally used in commo
by Mrs. p and myself.
"Ah 4 Mrs. F." said bowin
| rather sheepishly in my attempt
pass the affair off as a joke" Goo
4
|. !" Good morning., John" replied IN
> wife, quietly, not shade OF crossnes
. in her tone. /" mnst go down an
r watch the children or they may 9
some mischief with their pistols an