Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-15

IL all at your leisure, aud be careful
that you do SEQ it all before you
leave. have said.
THE EVE OF INDEPENDENCE.
The Fourth Of July began the
night before. Sunday aud Monday
passed off very quietly, the boys
holding their crackers aud fireworks
in reserve, but many of the shops
gave their employees holiday from
Saturday afternoon, About five in
the afternoon of Monday business
was virtually ut an end. At nine
in the evening Broadway was full
of people, in the street and out of
1t as thick us they could stand. The
denizens of the east side of New
York that hide in their lodgings aud
workshops ut all times save holi.
days, came out, the Germans with
wife, children and baby, the Irish
boys and girls, fleet footed and fleet.
er tongued, and stood round, cheer.
ful and perspiring, or sat on steps
and curbstOns, till the great show
should begin that would be an event
in their lives. at nine, the signal
for the illumination was given. The
buildings were gay and a.hutter
with flags since morning, when
Broadway looked as if all the but,
tertlies Of the world had settled up.
on its face in the sun. And now,
looking down the street miles away
where it sinks to the harbor, as far
as one could see, Il calcium light
shone, a great blazing star in the
forehead Of the sky, and below
wound Il river of fire, tossing gilt,
tering waves of flame, that reached
till lost among the tall buildings of
Union Square. AS a spectacle. OF
unreal magnifcence, the effect was
exciting and the prodigal wonders
of magic and romance seemed pos,
sible in that wild, blazing night.
TIE PROCESSION.
1t was soft and splendid even.
ing, perfect moon rode high, as il
to mark the splendor below, a fresh
breeze blew up from the bay, and
through that gulf of people miles
on miles uptown went the torchlight
procession, first the city troops, in
full uniform, in column by company
"a gallant sight. The finest af all
hot the aristOcratc Seventh Reg
iment Or the petted Twenty.seconI ,
but the old Seventy-ninth High
landers, disbanded, who had beg
ged permission to come out with
the other troops. From Major
General Ward, who stood at the
head of the Third Brigade, the beau,
ideal of soldier, high, courageous,
impassive from sword.hilt to chap
eau, every one of those eagle.facA.,.
black Scotch who marched, killed
and plumed behind aim with a dag.
ger IN his garter, they were the very
make OF soldiers, and men for any
command to covet. The German
troops were fine, solid-looking sol
dlers, and, in their spiked helmets
and close hlouses, looked as if they
still owed allegiance to King Viii
liam. The Cuban societies made a
fine impression for so small a body
Of men, their dress and bearing un-
mistakably that of gentlemen, and
it was pathetic to see their beauti-
full colors-another red, white and
blne-carried in honor of a country
which celebrated the independence
they were struggling to achieve.
The dark, proud, handsome faces
that marched in the shadow of its
folds were lit up with the spirit OF
the hour, as they flashed back the
gayest repartec to the cheers and
.jeStS of the crowd.
MIDNIGHT
There was such noise by the crowd
that the Ginning of the bells lost
its effect, and the singing of the
eight hundred members of the cho-
raj societies was unheard. People
stood packed round the four sides
of tie squares, which were filled in
the centre with military; and from
the four angles a bombardment of
fireworks was kept up for an hour
that made the place little less than
hell to the sight. There were the
accomplishments of women fainting,
aud piokpockets making organized
rushes to drive people into corners
where they could work them better,
while the cannon rockets, which
seem the favorite pyrotechnic this
year, dulled the boom of ordnance
from the North and East rivers.
One wondered how the children
stood it, for there were hundreds of
babies in arms whose mothers could
not stay at home and lose the sight.
Next day. Broadway was quieter
than it ever was of a Sunday, for
all were tired out. at evening, a
beautiful sight from the Battery fin
ished the day, with n stroke of nat
ural glory. Heavy clouds gather
ed in the West, betokening storm,
but as the first gun was fired at
sunset, the light broke through,
and the arch of cloud shone an arch
of glory, under which rolled the
smoke and thunder of salute from
|orts and ships down the harbor
and up the river, answering and
echoing-fitting close OF such a day,
md fitting honor to the memories
celebrated.
The casualty list was very small,
ION sidering the vast numbers on the
streets, and everywhere else, ell.
gagged in the exploding of combus-
ibles. Occasionally boy would
ret bullet in his pistol, and that
,ullet would kill or main somebody;
occasionally a girls clothes would
AXE fire from sparks, and she would
urn to death; a few buildings were
burned, and an Occa sional pyrotec
list was blown up with his own