Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-07-17
For the SPECTATOR.
Boston Letter.
BosToN. Mass. Jnlv 18th.

BosToN, MASS, July 9Th, 1883.
| Mr.. EdtOr:-To-day seems unusually
quiet after the booming racket we had yes
terday. All the New England cities gen.
orally go to some expense and trouble in
celebrating the Glorious Fourth, but Bos-
ton takes the lead. For several weeks the
boys have been saving their money to get
fireworks, and early in the evening of
Tuesday the noise began, and continued
during that night until late hour yester-
day evening. There were number of in
teresting boat-races at different places
around the city, besides many other attrac-
| tons in suburban places, but the great
mass of the crowd gathered ON the Com
mon, which presented the gayest and most
complete holiday appearance of any place /
ever saw. Oh, the venders, grinders,
&c, that were there by hundreds, or even
thousands. 1t was something like the
| show grounds in Staunton, but on a much
| larger scale. A great variety of cooling
drinks and confectionery was offered for
sale, together with fans, canes, flowers,
fireworks, &C., but nothing Intoxicating
was sold on or near the grounds, and con-
| sequently the crowd, of Sc, 900 or more, was
very orderly, not one person being arrested
that l saw. That noble, earnest society,
The woman's Christian Temperance Union,
erected their tent and established them
selves near the centre of the Common early
in the morning, which is their custom every
year on the Fourth. Circulars were dis
tributed inviting all to their tent, where
speeches, songs, and recitations were given
with scarcely any intermission during the
day. They furnished the people with free
ice-water from stands arranged so that
forty or fifty could drink at once, and the,
hot weather caused these places to be well
patronized The tent was filled all the
time, and though the efforts of the tenn
perance workers are derided by many, they
have the sympathy of nearly all the good
people. In the afternoon some exiting
bicycle races took place, but the balloon
ascension, which is regular annual occur
renee on this day, proved failure, the air
ship becoming disabled in some way. The
| Grafton was delivered in fremont Temple
by one of the best speakers among the
city ministers. Mayor Palmer presided
over the meeting, and the audience was
rather more select and of deeper patriotism
than the noisy crowd on the Common. No
procession or military display was made,
for memorial day is the time here when
the Grand Army Posts and military COM
panies have their principal parade. The
streets down in the business portion of the
city were deserted, the stores being closed
and all as quiet as on Sunday. Our short
New England Summer is growing very
warm, and yesterday the mercury reached
ninety-two in the shade, the highest so far
this season.
Excursions to the country and neighbor-
ing beaches Are now very popular, and the
railroad and steamboat companies have
about as much as they can do to accommo-
date the large crowds who are driven out
of town by the hot weather. On Bunker
Hill Day, june 18th, the Grand Army Post
of Lynn had sham fight down at Re-
we're Beach, representation of one of the
battles fought in the late war. 1t was the
most extensive affair of the kind ever at
tempted in this country. Most of the the
atres are closed for the Summer, and those
which are still open have reduced their
prices, as amusements of this kind are un-
popular in the hot season.
Mr.. d. L. Moody preached in Music Hall
last Sunday night. In seven minutes after
the doors were opened that immense build
ing was packed, and large numbers coming
later were turned away. He has not
preached here for some time, but the people
still remember him, and the enthusiastic
reception he received this time shows the
great respect they have for him. This
meeting was the beginning of two months
revival to be held by the Young Mems
Christian Association in Windsor Theatre,
but Mr.. Moody himself will not be here
regularly during that time.
Boston is not quite so brisk and lively as
it was in the Winter and Spring. Those
who are wealthy enough have gone to the
country or seaside for the Summer, and
many of those who remain are absent on
excursions nearly half the time. Most of
the large stores close at five P. NJ, except
Saturday, when they close at two.
won't write any more, for know how
the printers grumble when a long letter
| comes late in the week. G. L. 3.