Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-06-05

lady's nerves were seriously Jared by it..
The pleasant weather died off very
suddenly at last. A fog, frost, and
three days perpetual rain closed the
season etIectually. The boat was hauled
up into its dry-dock; the garden games
were packed away carefully; and my
wife and /, who are partial to theatrical
entertainments, began somewhat to re-
gret our distance from town.
At breakfast on the Sd of November,
Aunt Sarah said: eff you are thinking
of having any fireworks to amuse the
children on the 5th, (Guy Fawkes' Day.
Charles, should like to contribute" l
left an egg half-decapitated, like VIC
tim in the hands Of an executioner, 40
astounded was I. We had been devising
how we should keep the fare of squibs
and the banging Of maroons in the dis
lance from the eyes and ears of relative,
aud had arranged to have all the shutters
in the house closed, and all the curtains
drawn at very early hour on the event
full evening, dreading lest any such 81 ght
or sound should recall the alarming cpl.
sode of the year before.
"Why, you look quite scared, my
DEAR" she added to my wife; cit does
not do to give way to unreasonable merry.
business. We are many, many miles away
from that dreadful canal now"
l have often observed that invalids
and nervous people defeat all calculation
of their likes and dislikes in this way,
and yet was surprised. Not wishing
Aunt Sarah to see that l thought her
weaker than she was, however, I entered
with alacrity into the scheme, went to
London and purchased neat assortment
of pretty combtstibles that very after
noon, and spent the 18th and the morning
of the 9Th in making arrangements for
their effective display. The business of
these preparations was absurd enougH,
have no doubt, for I had not launched
out into anything elaborate, but had
contented myself with very simple and
familiar pieces. Still, it required some
thought and study to find out how to let
of even these with advantage, so mex
perienced was I. However, there were
printed directions in my box, and by
following these carefully 1 hoped to
please my not too critical spectators.
These were placed at the drawing room
window, which looked out upon the
lawn where the exhibition was to take
place; and soon after dinner on a most
favorable evening, dark, dry, and still,
sailed out with box of Vesuvians in
my hand, and opened the entertainment
by lighting the touch-psper of a neat
case, which presently began to burn with
entense brightness, causing the trees,
the river, and all other objects to appear
blue, then green, then rosy, then intense.
ly dark; quite an allegorical representa-.
ton Of human life. Next came a
cluster of Roman candies, which fixed
and threw up colored balls in a satisfac-
tory manner enough. Then l let oft 4
tire-work which was to run backward
and forward along string which had
fastened for the purpose between two
trees. It started fairly enough, but
stuck at the further end, and had to be
stirred up with hoe before it would fly
back again. However, alone knew that
it was intended to act otherwise. Next
We had a Jack-in-the-box, which ter
minated in a volcanic eruption of crack.
e1s darting and banging into the air.
| was most doubtful about the success
of the rockets. I had collected all the
big door-keys in the house, and had tied
them firmly to the sides of chairs, so
that the rocket. sticks might be support
ed in them comfortably, like canes and
umbrellas in stand. But when the
box Of fireworks came down no sticks
were sent with it, so l had to fit and
regulate them by my own judgment,
which had no experience to guide it:
only vague impression that the rocket
when fixed to the stick should balance
an inch or two below the head. Our
neighbor on the right was curious in
and glass frames were spread
all over his grounds, so that it would
never do to incline the missiles in that
direction. In front, however, was the
river, into which the sticks would fall
harmlessly; and on the right was a
wharf, for the lading and unlading of
what merchandise l did not know-our
was planted out too thicklv
to get glimpse at it; coal, probably, I
;onjectured. At any rate it might fairly
be supposed that an empty case with q
light lath attached to it would do no
harm If it fell within the precincts or
On to one of the barges moored off it:
So l fred the rockets with slight in
clination to the left, to make sure of
avoiding the cucumber and melon
frames. ~.
1t was with some doubt as to how the
thing would behave, that I applied q
suffering Vesuvian to the touch-paper
Of the first. 1t smouldered so long that
feared it had gone out, and was lust
about to apply a second match, when a
stream of fire shot out with a suddenness
which made me Jump yard back, and
away scared the firework in the most
satisfactory manner high into the air,
where it burst, well over the river, and
colored stars floated away from it.
There was tapping at the window, to
which I went. otis beautiful" said a
voice, through the glass; " but we could
not see it burst well. The large willow
tree was in the way" To avoid this, 1
the other rockets more to the
left. Some behaved as satisfactorily az
the first; others, in consequence proba-
bly, of insufficient sticks, not quite 80
we'll, as they reached their apogee and
turned to come back before they ex-
ploded. One, indeed, which took most
cratic course and fell in the direction
of the wharf, must have been very near
the earth, or water, when it burst, for I
heard the bang, but could see nothing
but reflection above the trees on the
left. ,..g.., ....,--.. -. |
Ihad just dispatched two more rockets
skyward when I heard a rafting and a
kicking against the paling, and a deep
and agitated voice called out: "Hil
for goodness sake stop those fireworks!
10 you want to murder the whole parish
at one go?" - :: = = Z. 8.
- "!They are nearly over now," said /.
II am sorry that rocket fell in YOUR
premises; but these two are directed
roore to the 'front.'" Whish, whish!
they went as / spoke.
The mans voice rose to howl. care
a. liz d. 70 g. -.. L. (