Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-08-13
A Great Time in Danbury.

The firemen had a parade on Saturday
1t was a fine affair, but the absence of Mr.
O'Clarence was deeply felt, not only by
the department, but by the public. His
long and faithful services at the business
meetings and festivals and his splendid
bearing on parade, have given Mr.. O'Clar
ence an enviable position in the hearts OF
his countrymen. We are sorry he was
not present, Saturday. But an unlocked
for and very painful accident deprived
him and us OF very great pleasure.
The night which preceded the last an
| niversary of our national independence
he took home twenty-five dollars worth
of fireworks for a splurge on the next
in that package to fill with gratitude and
admiration every taxpayer on North
street, and his wife, after carefully ex
aiming the lot, was equally confident
that the neighbors would see something
that would "make their eyes bung out, ?
as she pensively expressed it.
The next morning O'Clarence got out
the bundle to look it over again and feed
on the anticipation. There were these
cannon crackers-several packs-and
Roman candles, and blue-fire, and pin
wheels and rockets and the like-a very
creditable assortment for any family. Mr.
Wickford's boy from the next house was
in, and sat on the floor holding piece of
lighted punk in his hand, and had both
his eyes and mouth wide open enjoying
the sight. O'Clarence was sitting on his
launches, holding a pinwheel in his hand,
and explaining to Mrs. O'Clarence how
cheaply they could be made in China,
and how superior in ingen uity and in
dustry were the Chinese to all other races.
None of them know how it happened,
but O'Clarence remembers that there were
two open packs of cannon crackers just
under him, and thinks Wicifords boy
must have in some way dropped the punk
in among them, and in the general in
terest forgot that it was afre.
At any rate, there was sudden hiss,
right under Mr.. O'Clarence, followed in
the next instant by a tornado of sounds
and sparks, and that gentleman at once
shot toward the ceiling in blaze Of
various colored lights, while the air be-
came thick with sparks, blue-lights, blaz-
ing balls, industrious pin-wheels, insane
sky-rockets, and screeching crackers
Mrs. O'Clarence fell over chair that cost
eight dollars when new, and struck the
back of her head against the stove hearth
with a violence that added materially to
the display OF fireworks already going on.
Wickford's boy was struck in the mouth
with a sky-rocket and had two-thirds of
his hair taken off by Roman candle, and
was knocked through doorway by a
piece of ordnance just introduced this
season, and which will undoubtedly be-
come popular when understood better
He was afterward fished out of a rose
bush and taken home in a tablecloth.
O'Clarence remained during the entire
exhibition, looking at it from various po-
.sitiols, and when it was over with he was
put in sheet by the neighbors, and sat
urated with oil, and then covered with
molasses and -four We learn that new
skin is already forming on parts of him,
and if no unfavorable symptoms set in he
will be out in fortni ght, although it is
not likely he will mingle much in society
until his hair and eyebrows commence to
grow. He thinks Wickford's boy is dead,
and they dare not tell him to the contrary
till he gets stronger Singularly enough,
Mrs. O'Clarence escaped injury by burns,
but the blow on her head was SO severe
that she cannot bear to have her back hair
drawn up as high as it was before, and
missing her church privileges is 2 sore
trial to her.-Danbatru NeaOs