The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-14

U
explained to his mother that these mate
rails had never yet exploded in the house,
and she was quoted.
AgamemnOn, meanwhile, remembered
recipe he had read somewhere for max
ing Illuminating paste" of iron filings
and powder of birthstone. He had it
written down on piece of paper in his
pocket book But the iron filings must
be finely powdered. This they began
upon a day or two before, and the very
afternoon before laid out some of the
paste on the piazza.
Pin-wheels and rockets were contrib
uted by Mr.. Peterkin for the evening,
According to programme drawn up by
Agamemnon and solomon John, the read
ing of the Declaration of Independence
was to take place in the morning on the
piazzaunder the flags.
The Bromwiches brought over their
flag to hang over the door.
THAT is what the lady from Philadel-
phia meant" explained Elizabeth Eliza.
She said flags of our country" said
the little boys. 1--WE thought she meant
in the country"
Quite company assembled; but it
seemed nobody had copy of the
Declaration of Independence.
Elizabeth Eliza said she could say one
line, if they each could add as much.
But it proved they all knew the same
line that she did, as they began:
When, in the course of-when, in the
course of human-when, in the course of
human events-when, in the course of
human events, it becomes-when, in the
course of human events, it becomes neces-
sary-when, in the course of human
events, it becomes necessary for one peo-
pie"
They could not get any farther. Some
of the party decided that lone people"
was a good place to stop, and the little
boys sent off some fresh torpedoes in
honor the people. But Mr.. Peterkin was
not satisfied. He invited the assembled
party to stay until sunset, and meanwhile
he would find copy, and torpedoes were
to be saved to be fired off at the close of
every sentence.
And now the noon bells rang and the
noon bells ceased.
Mrs. Peterkin wanted to ask every.
body to dinner. She should have some
cold beef. She had let Amanda 90 be-
cause it was the Fourth and everybody
ought to be free that one day, SO she
could not have much of dinner. But
when she went to cut her beef she found
Solomon John had taken it to soak, on
account of the saltpeter for the fire
works.
Well, they had pig, so she took a
ham, and the boys had bought tamarnds
and buns and CoCOa.nut. So the com
pany stayed on, and when the Antiques
and Horribles passed again they were
treated to peanuts and lemonade.
They sang patriotic songs, they told
stories; they fired torpedoes, they fright
ened the cats with them. 1t was a warm
afternoon; the red peoples were out
wide, and the not sun poured down on
the alleyways in the garden. There was
seething sound of hot day in the buzz
ing of insects, in the steaming heat that
came up from the ground. Some neigh
boring boys were firing a toy cannon
Every time it went off, Mrs. Peterkin
started, and looked to see if one of the lit
tie boys was gone. Mr.. Peterkin had
set out to find a copy of the " Declara-
ton" Agamemnon had disappeared.
She had not a moment to decide about
her headache. She asked Ann Maria if
she were not anxious about the fire works
and if rockets were not dangerous. They
went up, but you were never sure where
they came down.
And then came fresh tumult! All
the fire engines in town rushed toward
them, changing with bells, men and boys
yelling! They we're out for a practice
and for Fourth July show.
Mrs. Peterkin thought the house was
on fire, and 50 did some of the guests.
There was great rushing hither and
thither Some thought they would
better go home, some thought they would
better stay, Mrs. Peterkin FASTENED in
to the house to save herself or see what
she could save. Elizabeth Eliza followed
her, first proceeding to collect all the
pokers and tongs she could find, because
they could be thrown out of the window
without breaking. She had read of peo-
pie who had flung looking glasses out of
windows by mistake, in the excitement
of the house being on fire, and had car
ried the pokers and tongs carefully into
the garden. There was nothing like be.
ing prepared She always had determined
to do the reverse. So with calmness she
told Solomon John to take down the
looking glasses. But she met with a
ditficulty-there were no pokers and
tongs, as they did not use them. They
had no open fires; Mrs. Peterkin had
been afraid of them. So Elizabeth Eliza
took all the pots and kettles up to the
upper Windows, ready to be thrown out.
But where was Mrs PeterkinY Solo
mon John found she had fed to the attic
in terror. He persuaded her to come
down, assuring her it was the most I'M
safe place; but she insisted upon stop
ping to collect some bags of old pieces,
that nobody would think of saving from
the general wreck, she said, unless she
did. Alasl this was the result of fire.
works on Fourth of July! AS they came
downstairs they heard the voices of all
the company declaring there was no fire
the danger was past, 1t was long be-
/ fore Mrs. Peterkin could believe it. They
told her the fire company was only out
| for show, and to celebrate the Fourth of
July. She thought it already too much
| celebrated
Elizabeth Eliza's kettles and pans had
! pnmp down thrnurh tho with a