Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-07-13
NO.. SO

the satisfaction of ALL The gun used for
the salutes was an anvil from the shop,
and 1t performed most excellent work.
The dinner table was laden with the best
the neighborhood afforded; the contribu
tlons OF those who sat down to it. At
ole end was roast pig with head and
tail erect, at the other, large piece Of
similar animal, but of matuler age. A
sprinkling of green sass, with various
other etceteras filled up the intervening
space. No ardent spirits were used or
needed to awaken enthusiasm; few lem
ons had been provided for the after din
ner exercises Of the toasts, but when
sought for they were found to have mys-
teriously disappeared, having been stolen
and sucked dry by d lawless fellow, who
was in the employ Of Royal Tyler Per-
haps | ought to state in extenuation of
his ofense, that he divided few of them
with the boys
The banner of freedom, emblem of
our liberties, which gaily foated over
them on that memorable day, was unlike
the star spangled banner, immortalized
by the poet Key. It was improvised
out of a red shawl, with blue stripes,
and with red cotton handkerchief, fig
ured with white stars, pinned on one
corner. The shawl was furnished by
good mother present, and the cotton
wipe was ransacked from a coat pocket
in the crowd. This poor substitute for a
national flag was raised upon tamarack
pole from the top of which it gloriously
waved all the day through. At It's close
I h06 To no 70 tnrn f0 10
owners the handkerchief and shawl
There was one incident Of the day
with which | was personally connected.
| was not expected to take very impor-
tant part in the exercises, as [ was con-
sidered too young to march in the pro-
cession with girl, and not old enough
to eat at the first table, but as the sequel
proved, and that unexpectedly to my
self, I did BOTH With other lads was
watching the line of march, outside of
and independent of its regularity; at
this moment, critical one to me, one
of the committee Of arrangements, a
stalwart bachelor, who, had upon his
arm a beautiful young lady, with her
younger sister tugging at his disengaged
hand, with tone of authority called me
to him. Innocent of surprise or sudden
and expecting only some trivial
command, l obeyed the summons. His
fingers touched my arm, and in the
twinkling of an eye [ was formed into
the line with the trembling miss, not
too young to blush, as clinging attach
ment. The .ieers and laughter Of my
playmates at my sudden transposltion
from a boy sovereign on the Fourth to
such dignifed associations seem to be
ringing in my ears to-day. The column
soon halted at the refreshment table,
results, with some apprehensions. soon
I espied lny good mother examining the
table, arranging to place some extra
seats If was discovered [ feared an
explosion that BODIED me no good. [
shrank into as small space as I possibly
could, but there was. no escape; the firm
ness of her presence was over whelming;
Her large blue eyes were set searchingly
upon me, Although there by compul-
sion, still felt guilty Of violating the
proprieties of the occasion by my pres
ence With outstretched arm and finger
pointed full upon me my mother ex-
claimed: elisha what are you doing
there? get right up and out, as soon as
you can was preparing to get out
when the author of my embarrassment
came to the rescue, by calling the atten-
tion of my indignant mother to the timid
maiden by my side. With quick wit
she took in the situation and retiring in
good order she said; 'If that don't beat
all, who would have thought it?'
The little lady who was my compan-
ion on that not uneventful day was Miss
Antoinette Brayton, the youngest daugh-
ter Of the late Mr.. jeremiah l.. Brayton,
then residing upon the river bank not
far below Aztalan. Afterwards, and as
the years rolled on, she grew into beau
tiful woman and became the esteemed
wife of one of Wisconsin's earliest pio-
neers, Hon. [. W. Bird, of Jefferson but
now, with many Of her old associates,
she ''sleeps the sleep that knows no wax
ing"
This celebration of our national indie
pendence was I think, the first ever
held within the present limits of Jefef
son county, and it was therefore notar
bic occasion. There was q very general
turnout of settlers easterly from this
place, including the present townships
of Milford, Aztalan and Jefferson, there
being no settlements west OF here, still
there were less than hundred present.
all told, men, women, and children.
A C1ropr Rom TO HEATTu To all