The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-02-15
81 have written to invite Cousin Susan
10 spend the Fourth with u.s." said my


II have written to invite Cousin Susan
TO spend the Fourth with u.s." said my
sister Ann.
"she will not come" said I.
"She will, "replied my sister.
| disputed the point no further, but
was sure knew better. How could she
como, the perjured mo, not that. I
could not make that out, for she had new
er, to my knowledge, uttered even low
er's oath. The faithless !-Buttha count
in the indictment would not hold either,
for there was never any breach Of faith
on her side; and perhaps there was no
particular faith between US, for either to
break, But, we had met and parted, and
our pathways hence divorged, wide as the
poles asunder! Were we not hencforth
to be strangers? Had not the words been
spoken, which, sundcring love, sundcr
acquaintance? Could VIC meet again
with any degree Of composure :? Could
we breathe the same atmosphere :? All
this | said to myself, for l had no further
revealed my last country experiences
than to look unutterable things, when
Susan's name was mentioned, aud to wear
generally, at home, visage which seemed
blending of the aspect Of BON bastes
Furioso with that Of the Knight Of the
Rucful Countenance.
A glorious day was the Fourth Of July,
when we were young. The noisy rec
concentration of John Adams was not left
to the spontaneous and impromptu excr-
ciscs of the younger people. The men
took the thing in hand, and seconded the
town authorities III getting up Fourth
worth while. There were few municipal
appropriations; for our patriots had not
learned the proficiency with which now
they thrust their arms into tie public
purse. The consumption Of powder and
pyrotechnics was betrayed by private sub
scription. In the same way the expense
of open carriages for Revolutionary vet
Grams and distinguished guests was pro.
vided for; and everybody else paid for
his owntdinncr.
Of course there must be military pa.
rade, and favoritc intcrludc in the pa
radc was the sham fight. And special
feature Of the sham fight wa, the red
Indian. Sometimes we rehearscd Bunk
or Hill, but that fell into disusc. Few
liked TO pcrsonatc the British soldiers;
and the old Continental militia who de-
Tended the carthworks had persistent
obs,inacy in falsifying history, and rcfu-
sing to retreat They would insist upon
fighting the battle, not with the result as
it was, but as it should have been!
So we usually fell back upon the red
Indian; regarding all Indians as Tories,
and in British pny. To play Indian, too,
was such glorious masquerade. and with
oclrc, brick-dust, horse blanket, and
tuft OF feathers, SO easily got up, and so
picturesque! Skirmishing and skulking
we're such fun! And the scalping was
managed to marvel by the lid Of two or
three old wigs, which, like tho ar,ical
P.op a svJ w., ,,aaa - LIZ IH I E ~
body was delighted with the show, except
the monarchs Of the poultry yards, who,
aftcr shc,r;no fine md crowsd in most
d;sconsol.,e and cres,. fallen manner
Their nr;do Ind zone 10 decorate mock
1nd;ans !, noe, nn,bnr;a;a., s ,
Tho norsono,;ro of nm Indian inc. foll
in with tho ,Erclcs vein into wl;ch I Ind
fallen :. md / found no d;fI;cnlty in bo;na
do,,;lod no ono of , 'tr;ho a,hosa ,nn.is
are fonnd m nbsrc bnt in tb;s sor;,ahie
history Cousin Suo arrived in tho n;Jst
ofthe nronor,,;ons I lonnod sor Some
INF IN sha n,nn on;e, on.s nnoons,ra;u
I'd. md ,roo,od mo a, natnr.lly md
nlcasnnllv =. # va we're met i IN from a =
rnmn in i,,e ,,rdcn and w sro' nae, =, ' roa
snnct;vcly ion md ,wolvo I could h,vo
solved icr Im%t,nho,;.,llv, for lsr c,lm
;nJ;tTnronca ss td mo ~ ho. o,;J"n,
nlnnssre;n wbat che oxnsc,nI "a saa nf
tho wnrdor. ns Enn,I, neIrl, ooloLs.
ina -
q, ,r -,
!, sne saae .e'senl Nv once once 70 Tue % ,3
81 81; '''f fss 10 equip COUSIN yonn' i'er
,a .ao,. n"ser s :appllsa ,'e oentc 10 my
oa..ss % anu t,. ai',ou ,a a Gr'gnal aas'
o;,,,s WV .oa v"'S s, ~ s nv n0 .u' W.. ..,y