Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-07-14

FOURTH OF JULY IN ST. LOUIS

My DEAR REPUBLICAN Thinking few
lines on the above subject might interest many
oil your readers is my excuse for trying to give
you crude idea OF the same.
Not that the Fourth in St. Louis differs very
much from the Fourth i'll Wilmington or any
where else. But it may be news to some that
there is such place as st. Loui, to observe the
Fourth. II such is the case | would say, pre-
pare TO wonder and be amazed, for | am about
TO make an astomishin. revelation.
st Louis is city-a huge city-"the future
great CITY," 1t is a fact. But don't be jealous
| and envious, Wilmingtonians-we can't all be
great cities. low big are weP Well, as have
said, we are simply huge, and then We grow SO
fast We have population, by actual count,
of three hundred and forty thousand, four
hundred and seventeen and u half-this count
was made when Barnum was here, and the
, half represents his gorilla. This does not
include the dogs or billy goats, nor yet the
Texas steers, which frequently rush OH In their
mad career, kicking up the devil and the dust
| generally.
| How fast do we grow? We have increased
just one hundred thousand in the past year, and
it has been poo. year for babies at that. And
now that we know something about st. Louis
| we " ill talk about the Fourth.
The day was quite pleasant and enjoyable
| There was no grand demonstration, but picnic
parties were numerous, and so were excursions
| by bOth river and rail The boys made the da,
| musical, as usual Oh such occasi"ns They KEEP
up continuous roar and rattle from early moi
uutil late at night. The boysar the real pa
tros after all: they engage heart and soul il
the festivities OF the day, and II powder ant
smoke ale sufficient to keep alive the national hol
idly then will the Fourth of July never die a.
long as young America" can raise dime I,
buy package OF tire crackers. The day pass
ed oil happily, with no ruinuus accident am
to the satisfaction Of everybody. Then followe,
the evening--beautiful, moonlight, soft, sub
| duiny--succtet rd the bright and dazzling ray
of the great orb oil day and this was rcndere,
doubly beautiful by the artificial display of fire
works throughout the city. In every direction
could be seen the fiery skyrocket shooting higl
up INTO the heavens, followed by the less aln6i
, tous Roman Candle and then in turn coul,
De seen the many and various spinning wheels
throwing out their nyriads Of dazzling spark
and consultations. The scene and the occa
sion was beautiful aud grand, but needs no fur
Their description as the same has been witnesse,
, by all. But all things must end, be they grea
, or small, good or bad. The onward flight O
time stops not To consider the desires or wishe
: of mortal man. His griefs and joys, his plea
| sures and pain, his greatness, his grandeur an
glory are all alike to this accompanying agen
, of eternity. Nature aud her laws and opera
tions must follow ia their regular line Of duty
, and man must submit. Aud so It was with us
Early In the evening a black cloud loOme
slowly up IN the western horizon, accompanies
by vivid flashes of lightning. On ii came, slow
> and surely. Flash followed flash: and 500
\ could be heard the distant rumbling of thunder
/, Blacker and heavier grew the clouds, brighte
e and more dazzling the lightning, louder an
fiercer the thunder, until at last, massng all IL
} forces into one solid phalanx, it burst upon u
l with all its madness and fury. And In that in
slant patriotic zeal and enthusiasm died. de
= mo lstratioHs ceased, and so ended the Fourt
1 OF July, 1873 in st. Louis.
4 II was an ominous ending, hut do mol be
e lleve in omens, and trust the reader does moi
Yours, &c, A. ]. A.