The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-07-05
Things in the Quaker City.
PHILADELPHIA, July 4.

DEAR LEDGER:-This Is the day we
celebrate. 1t is ST range our fore-fathers
should have let the day fall at such
torrid se9son. They might have fixed it
up with some Static fair or other fall nov
city, SO that we wouldn't have to undergo
any ELUSIVE of the porous system. But
providence ruled it otherwise, and | sup
pose it was intended 10 be a red hot time,
as history informs us was IN vogue at that
time. But MS the day calls for II special
procedure in the way Of celebrating it,
| Thought would lake my mother-in-
law, (who, by The way has passed success
fully three score and more Fourth of
July's without her hair turning gray) to
see the birthplace of freedom, the cradle
of Neutrality-suspicious. Hall, and show
her some of the memories IN the shape of
relics which are clustered there. | said
to her ''let US go down and commune
with the memories of the past, aud bathe
ourselves in patriotic lore" ooh do, 1
want to see the place where they signed
bliC ltcCidllhblbu VI htDihhbhbCB btAoiO
l shuttle off this mortal coil. In the
language of Patrick Henry, sink or swim,
servive Or PERISH"
'MOther, mother, don't p l cried,
"But must, it's Fourth of July, and
man can do as he pleases," she replied.
Remember you are not a man." I in
terposed.
"Well, let us go and see the cradle of
liberty" she pressed.
So we went, and as l was spokesman
on The OCCASION | explained things gener-
ally.
eyes here is the cradle, Il said as we
were entering the door of the sacred
ediflce.
"Where ?" asked my mother-in-law in
amazement.
"Why this whole building. It don't
look much like "A cradle, but this is where
the Goddess of Liberty was rocked until
she got strong enough to stand on her
feet"
"Well, always thought it was a cra-
die similar to the one my grand mother
had, for they said that was revolution
airy one. How misleading words are.
And this is the CRADLE" my mother-in-
law murmered.
then showed her many of the curiosi-
ties in the museum, and pointed to a
moth eaten dress body. There" said l,
'fs relic of Germantown belle, 1903.
The low necks in those days was very
patriotic. 1t was neck or nothing with
our early fathers and sweethearts as
we'll"
eyes, poor things, they barred their
bosoms to the storm, and made powder
and balls for the minute men," my
mother,in-law remarked.
"And here's snuff box taken from
Gen. Burgoine, 1889. You know he was
'sneezed' upon by our army, and when
taken a prisoner was asked if he had
enough, when he handed out this snuff
box. Rather generous, wasn't it." ]
asked.
ayes, but they had the pinch on him
you see," was my witty mother-in-law's
remark.
"Here's remarkable specimen
remarked to my companion, "a wooden
leg"
"A wooden legr she exclaimed,
whats that got to do with patriotism ?''
This leg was taken from British spy
on the Hudson near Newburgh, 1776. He
attempted to swim the river after being
pursued, when his leg got detected and
was captured floating down the stream
In the shoe was important dispatches to
| the crown"
"Why didn't he put the dispatches in
his other shoo?' my mother-in-law asked.
"Well, it might have been because
there would be no Precipitation in the
wooden one" said,
"And here is a glass eye, loaned by
Miss Zieglar, This eye was worn by
Major Dobbs through the revolution, and
was bequeaihed to his follow citizens as a
legacy. He had an eye single for his
country's glory"
"What, fought for our liberties with a
glass eye ~ my mother-in-law exclaimed.
eyes, that's what the record says" l
remarked.
"Wel, all I've got to say is bully boy
with glass eye ! F"
"Now here's a nautical relict. A part
of the hawser that parted when the Ii
conderoga went down"
"What made the Ticonderoga go down;
was she tied with that?" my mother-in-
law inquired.
/ II don't know, she might have been
tied with a string, but it says here that
she parted her hawser and went down."
/ said.
81 know" my mother-in-law proceed
cd "but they might have been more ex-
plicit and told us what it was that made
the hawser part. Maybe it was because
there was load of horses on board. 1t
might have been horse or some other
animal that made the ship 90 down"
''Oh, well, it don't much difference. l
think it would be well for us to look at
the curiosities hereafter" l sand, with
some feeling, 'without any remarks"
And so VIC went through the museum,
and finally the old lady thought it was
getting too hot for indoor recreation, and
suggested that we 80 out into the square
and cat some peanuts. SPHYNX.