Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1883-07-12
PATHETIC PARODY
On a Fourth Of tuly Grafton.


4 Celebration in Mexico. Jnlys 4th.
-caia ea9fsts izsf s
!. Published by request ii one Lone &c citizen..
FELLOW TRAMPs-Once more are WI
gathered together, In the capacity of pat
riots, to see to it personally that the day
that our forefathers celebrated is not al
lowed to be forgotten. With. so many
new holidays, and so many new people
it is hardly to be wondered at that ths
day of all days, the day that should be
dearest to the heart 4of every American
is in danger Of being passed over In, ST
lence, and were it not. for the fire cracker
that begins to get in Its work about the
first Of June, in many instances this An
niversary Of American Independence
would be passed iwisahaut the. cussoHaar,
celebration. .lo .g14.a 5,i'T .essSl
This tribute is paid in many ways, the
most popular of which is to shout, fire
bass drums, drink red lemonade, climb
creased poles, catch creased pigs, run ia,
and lean races, smell of powder, blow our
thumbs off by firing unaccustomed can
non, and by talking at q mark in regard to
the grand old flag, s..- -. -
On this great day we are accustomed to
leave our business to hired men. and burr
with patriotism, and ginger pop, fill our
selves with patriotic favor, and beer,
shout the battle cry of freedom, and 60
home when the day is over with our eye
winkers burned off, and to sleep with q
consciousness that a great duty has been
performed, and that, we have got bank
notes to pay on the morrow. For three
hundred and sixty-four ,days,in the year
our patriotism is corked up and wired
down, and all we can do is to- work, and
acquire age and strength. On the morn
ing of the 4th of July we cut the wire,
the cork that holds our patriotism flies
out, and we bubble and sparkle and steam,
and make things howl. We hold In as
long as we can, but when we get the har-
ness off, and are turned into the pasture,
we make picnic of ourselves, with lnu-
sic all along the line. ,-s,,i.t fs;v, yg..ss{
And why do we do this2 Why is it
that on this particular day We loose our
cud, and kick up the dust, and perspire
through our linen coats, and get the gal
Looping headache? -.
Lend me your ears, and will a tale
unfold, whose lightest word win harrow
up your corn ground, freeze your young
blooded stock, and make each particular
hair pin to stand on end like quilts upon
the fretful porcupine. - =. -.
Many, many years ago, before yolunta-
ry bankruptcy had been invented. SOL
itary horseman might have , been seen,
standing on Plymoth rock,s gazing into
the country, his hand shading his eyes
and his whole being trembling with emo
ton. He was looking for Indians. Ht
never had owned an Indian, and thus nc
Indian had ever escaped from him, bu,
he was looking for Indians all the same
Not that he needed any Indians in his
business, but he was looking for them
He was pilgrim, and this was his pro-
gress. Coming here with a good recon-
mendation from his last place, he had the
appearance of tramp, his shoes being
run over at the heel and his coat rusty
In a canal boat hard by, was the balance
of the gang, passing the time, In the alb
sence of the boss, playing croquet, won
dering if he would find a good
place for them. to hold their. turnout.
Presently the leader, who was on, the
rock, raised his handkerchief and waved
the excursion to sscome ashore.'' The
party on the boat laid down their hands,
after marking the sesre on the slate,
weighed anchor, on pairaof spring bal
ances, touched the canal horse on the raw
with a hep-hele, and steamed into port
This was rsthe Landing Of sthe Pill
grims." 1t was the. first church excur-
sion of which history speaks, and nettsd
quite a sum. Lunch baskets were pro-
duced, and while the women stood guart
over the lemon pie, and the raspberry jam
to keep out the caterpillars and the ants,
the men took their guns and sailed forth
to conquer the country, and kill an Indi-
an, or some kind of game for supper.
That picnic party was the foundation
of all this trouble On that rock they
laid the foundation, and then they sci
around, and Matched out this great coun-
try. They liked the climate and with one
accord they lifted up their voices and
chanted the beautiful, anthem, awe
Wond't go home till morning, which il
even remembered, and sung on great oc-
casions to this day. Whatever there il
in the country, that is deserving of cen.
sure, the odium must attach to those
tramps, who fofind this country a wilder.
ness, and kept ON fooling until it bios.
s6med the worst way. II they had gons
back, after having picnic, and kept still
about it, this country might have been 8
quiet sort of place, with! no penitentia'
ries, no congress- no book agents, NJ
nothing. .adass-4'za1ss'sS ''s''f.''
But they had blood in their eyes. The
had flown from Oppression, They hst
come from q far country, where the.
were not allowed to have church socia
bles, and where al prayer meeting WA
looked upon as the work of an fncendia
ry. '1.sss - s.f.-s.-,,.5.as ssmg,l
These heroes, fed from home becaus
they were not allowed to worship in thsi
own way. They wahtedea plaees wher'
they could be sprinklsd or immersed Jus
as they pleased. Where they could b
Catholics, Presbyterians, or Methodists
or Democrats or Baptists, Or Republican
or Second Adyentists, or. Greenbaclers
whichever they Thought held out best In
dueements for nice, cool summer fesor
after the wicked should cease fror
Il. S5s T@tEAt4k1 SAS = s.ssS-ss sas.7
tlI'o11upiilns' l'11i @gef sfaa 10 ,xke-w3aavs
They kept on multiplying and replen
ishing the earth, until the year l7Ts, she
there were enough Of them to- make
pretty fair caueus.s They mad scattere
themselves oyef, thirteen states, and ,ha
schools, churches, colleges, country fairs
grab bags, three card Eaonte, and mSu