Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-06-25
Eire-CrackerS.

A good many elder people are afliet-
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 a boys or a
girls happy face. 5 81 4.
1t is 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 Ameri-
ca on all suitable and unsuitable acca-
sions. AS you know, the Fifth of No
vember is the anniversary of the Gun
powder Plot, in which a sad scamp
named Guy FaWkes schemed to blow
up the House of Parliament, with all
the members, great and small, inside.
But the plot was discovered aud de-
feated, and the: patriotic people of
England still celebrate their escape.-
On every anniversary of the,day they
have fireworks and bontires, and the
boys burn etfigies of the traitor. / have
seen q capital Guy. Fawkes made with
broom stick, a ragged oid coat, a bat
tered old hat, and a penny paper mask.
Boxes of matches, squibs and crack
ers 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 singing
Gunpowder plot shall never be forgot -
T As long as old England stands upon rock J
When he had been paraded through
all the streets and reviled and pelted
with stones, he was planted on the top
of bonfire for throne and burned,
amid the splutterings and flames 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 greatest occasion for fire.
works, and then there is as much de-
sire for crackers and piH-Gheels as in
the North on the Fourth. In China,
the almoud-eyed natives fire off their
crackers Oh New Years Day, as have
said, and travellers state that the noise
continues from early morning until
midnight, without the least intermis-
sion. II 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
AtutItCdu COuutiicS, ShCii do Oniii stuu
Peru, a friend Of mine, who lived there,
tells me that fireworks are introduced
at every festival, and especially at those
of the Church. The people derive a
frantic sort of pleasure from them, and
set them off in broad daylight and at
all hours of the night. He is AN en-
ttusiastic fellow himself, and ain not.
sure that he does not exagerate. d little,
but he says that he has seen a sane
businessman leave his Office in midday
and go,intO the street to send oil "a
rocket. During church services. also
fireworks are displayed, so there is a
perpetual Fourth1oof July. Perhaps
some of you think it would peq qnice,to.
live in such a place; Idon't. s.es 10 /.
ia The other day boughtthree packs of
crackers, all made in China, and paid
eight cents eaciIs for them.. You know
how they are paeked--in white straw
paper, with a crimson label bearing an
inscripting printed in gilt letters. Well,
when got home, began to wonder
what the inscription ON the margin
meant. I am not learned person, so
/ asked a Japanese student who under
stands Chinese to translate it fer me-
As the centre of one label is filed with
the out line of an ea5le, the pack evil
IDENTIFY is designed for young Americas.
And the wonderful-looking characters
proved, after all, to be nothing more
than an advertisement of the dealers,
reading, when translated, as follows: Il
Our office is in Ou Sen, and we makethe'
best kind of fire-crackers. Please copy down
the advertisement, and we hope there will be
no mistake. -.t- ls..=- 80 -..s-
On the second package are figures of
two Cinnamon, and the following in
scription in Chinese: 3. ear as;5
The original store is now at the Square of
Kau Chin, and we set before the public beau-
tiful articles, including tire-crackers made by
ourselves. We hope our customers will write
down the advertisement and remember.
On the same pack the address of the
firm-pronopnced, Man Puku Do--is
given translated, it means: ten thou
sand Prosperity Chambers On the
third pack there is the out line of
dragon, and in English, on the label,
Crescent Chop. Superior fire-crackers.'
ST. Nicholas for ,JlIty, sya 81. 3tr,.