The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-07-23
o,C,arencs,s Fourth OF July.

0,Ciarencs's Fourth ofJa'y.
The Danbu.y Ne~s tells why Mr..
O'Clarence was not in the parade. The
firsmen had a parade Saturday. 1t
was a fine affair, but the absence oil
Mr.. O'Clarence was deeply felt, not
only by the Department but by the pub
lie. His long and faithful services at
the business meetings and festivals, and
his splendid bearing on parade Lave
given Mr.. O'Clareuce .su erviable posi-
ton in the hearts OF his c3untrymen.
But an unlooked.for and Very painful
accident de prived US OF "a great pleasure.
The night which preceded the last
anniversary of our National lndepen~
deuce he took home twenty. five dollars
worth OF fire works for c splurge on the
mex! night. He calculatee LIE had glory
enough in that package TO fill with
gratitude and admiration every tax
payer on North street, and bis wife,
after carefully examining the lot, was
equally confdaut that the neighbors
would see something that would make
their eyes bug out" as she penslVe'y
expressed it.
The next morning O'Clarence got
out the bundle to look it over again,
and feed on the anticipation. There
were these caunon-crackers-seyeral
packs-and Roman candles, and blue
fire, and pin.wheels, and rockets and
the like. A very cIeditable assortment
for any family. Mr.. Wicktords boy,
from the pext house, was in, and sat on
the floor with iece OF lighted punk
in his hand, and had both his eyes and
mouth wide open, enjoying the sight.
OClarence was sting on his launches.
holding g. pin-wheel in his hand, aud
explaining to Mrs OClarence how
cheaply they could be made in China,
and how superior in ingenuity and in
dustry were the Chinese to all other
races. None OF them know how 1t
happened, but O'C!srence remembers
that there were two open packs OF can
non crackers just under him, and thinks
Wickford's boy must have in some way
dropped the punk in among them. and
in the general interest forgot that 1t
was atrre. Atany rate. there was a
sudden siss right under Mr.. OClarence,
followed in the next instant by a tor
nado of sounds and sparks, and that
gentleman at once shot towards the
Ceiling in a blaze Of variously colored
lights, while the air became thick with
sparks, blue-lie his, blazing balls, indus
trious pin-wheels, insane sky-rockets
and screecnipg crackers.
Mrs. O'Clarence fell over a chair
that cost eight dollars when new, and
struck the back OF her head against
the stove hearth with violence that
added materially 10 the display OF fire.
works already going on. Wick:ord's
boy was struck in the mouth with a
sky.rocket, and had two.thirds OF his
hair taken off with q Roman-csndle,
and was knocked through a doorway
by piece or ordinance just introduced
this season, and which will undoubted-
" become popular when understood
better. He was afterward fished out OF
q rosebuah, and taken home on a table
cloth. U'Clarence remained during
the entire exhibition, looking at from
various positions, and when IT was over
with he was put in a sheet by the neigh
bors and saturated with oil, and then
covered with molasses and flour. We
learn that the new skin is already for
ming on parts of him, and if 10 I'M
favorable symptoms set in he will be
out again in o fortnight, although 1t Is
not likely he will mingle much in
society, until his hair and eyebrows
commence to grow. He thinks Wick
ford's boy is dead, and they dare not
tell him to the contrary until he gets
stronger. SipgulaTly enough Mrs
OClarence escaped Injury by burns, but
the blow on her head was so severe that
she cannot bear to have her back hair
drawn up az high as it was before, and
missing her church privileges is a core
trial to her.