Middletown transcript., 1874-06-27
Fire-Crackers.

A good many elderly people are afflict.
ed with dreadful headaches ON the Fourth
of July; but suspect they don't mind it
very much, for in every puff of blue smoke
that wreathes itself under their noses they
see boys or girls happy face.
| 1t is a queer custom, this setting off of
fireworks, but it is observed in many
countries; among others. in England on
The Fifth Of November. in China on New
Years Day, and in South America on all
suitable or unsuitable occasions. As you
know, the Fifth of November is the ami
versary of the Gunpowder Plot. in which
sad scamp named Guy Fawkes schemed
to blow up the House of Parliament, with
all its members, great and small, inside.
But the plot was discovered and defeated,
and the patriotic people of England still
celebrate their escape. On every ami
versary of the day they have fireworks
and bonfres, and the boys burn efRgics of
the traitor. | have seen a capital Guy
Fawkes made with broom stick, ragged
old coat, battered old hat, and penny
paper mask. Boxes of matches, squibs,
and crackers were seereted about his ugly
person, and then he was carried over the
town in an old chair, with a chorus of
noisy youngsters following after and sing
ing:
Gunpowder plot shall never be forgot,
As long as old England stands upon a rock
When he had been paraded through all
the streets, and reviled, and pelted with
stones, he was planted on the top of bon
fire for a throne and burned, amid the
sputterings and fumes of the crackers and
squibs hidden in his dress.
In the Southern States, as those of you
who live there know, Christmas Day is
the great occasion for fireworks, and then
there is as much desire for crackers and
pin wheels as in the North on the Fourth.
In China, the almond-eyed natives fire off
their crackers on New Years Day, as |
have said, and travellers state that the
noise continues from early morning until
midnight, without the least intcrmission.
1t is not the children alone who enjoy
themselves men and women share in the
amusement with just as much zest as the
youngsters. In South American coun-
tries, such as Chill aud Peru, a friend of
mine, who lived there, tells me that fire.
works are introduced at every festival and
especially at those of the Church. The
people derive frantic sort of pleasure
from them, and set them off in broad day
light and at all hours of the night. He
is an enthusiastic fellow himself and |
am not sure that he does not exaggerate
little, but he says he has seen sane
businessman leave his Office in midday
and go into the street to send off rocket.
During church services also fireworks
are displayed, SO there is a perpetual
Fourth of July. Perhaps some of you
think it would be nice to live in such a
place. | don't.
The other day, l bought thre, packs of
crackers, all made in China, and paid
eight cents each for them You know
how they are packed-in white straw pa
per, with a crimson label bearing an in
scripton printed in gilt characters. Well,
when | got home, began to wonder what
the inscription on the margin meant l
am not learned person, SO | asked
Japanese student who understands Chi
nese to translate it for me. As the centre
of one label is filled with the outline of an
eagle, the pack evidently is designed for
young Americans. And the wonderful
looking characters proved, after all, to be
nothing more than an advertisement of
the dealers, reading, when translated, as
follows:
Our Office is in Gu Sen, and we make the best
kind OF fre-crackers. Please copy down the ad-
vcrlsemcnt, and We hope there will be no mis-
take.
On the second pack are figures of two
Cinnamon, and the following inscription
in Chinese:
The original store is now at the Square of Kan
Chin, and we set before the public beautiful ar
tcles, including fre-crackers made by ourselves
We hope our customers will write down the ad-
vertsement and remember.
On the same pack the address of the
pronounced Man Puku DOS Civ
en-; translated, it means: "Ten thousand
Prosperity Chambers" On the third
pack there is the outline of dragon, and
in English, on the label, Crescent Chop.
Superior Fire Crackers From "Fire-
Crackers and the Fourth of Jaly," by
William II. Rideing. 81. Nicholas for
July.
SArooN SIoNc NJ ono bo.re - A.