Smyrna times., 1884-07-09
The Fourth.

The natal day of American liberty
did not come in with the booming of
cannon nor the ringing of bells, as has
frequently been the case in our town.
Scarcely was fire cracker heard from
the hands Of the small boy in the back
yards, such was their respect for the
ordinance Of the Town Fathers -
The day was however holiday in its
general aspects and hut little labor Of
any Kind was done. The expression,
there was not a single thing going
on " was literally true as far as any
effort at public demonstration was con
cerned and before the morning was
nall gone the people singly. bV pairs
or IN squads We're wandering to and
iro in Il Iistless way as if they wanted
something to do but didn't know where
to 90 TO find it.
The Smyrna Cornet Band gave Mr..
Winter. the c0ntectioncr. a sercnade
toward noon and in turn were treated
TO some OF his best ice cream and cake.
The day was given to pleasure seek
ing which with the most of people par
TOOK OF social character. The color
| ed people seemed intent in getting as
much out OF the day as possible. and in
lieu OF any other diversion. a large
number Oi them following the example
OF some whites) spent the day largely
IN wandering from one liquor saloon to
another, especially between this town
and Clayton. The latter place swarm
ed with them the most of the dav and
evening. A number of them were
young men taking their first ex-
pericnce in life, and under the license
laws Of the State were being educated
for criminals. The query naturally
comes up, wouldn't it be better as the
day will be observed as an "off' dav .
to hold celebration Of some kind for
/ their entertainment, but the answer to
/ this Is, that their natural leaders. the
/ preachers, have tried this. with the eX-
i perience that the law furnishes the
/ opportunity for enough of them to get
so legally drunk as to disturb all efforts;
/ at peace and good order, and so such
efforts have been abandoned. What is
\ to be the future Of the Fourth " as a
/ holiday (since it has become generally
suchl IS question for the law makers.
The shower in the early part Of the
evening of that day made the restric-
/ tions in regard to fireworks practically
imperative, and the Juveniles, as well
as those of a larger growth finished the
( day in several parts of the town in ex-
ploding crackers, rockets, &c; clearing
out we believe the entire stock of the
town.
The incidents usual to such dav in
the way of happenings" were few,
none Il matter of record except that of
a husband dragging what he termed
his unlaithful spouse from the train
which she had boarded for Woodland
/ Beach. He had been drinking and
hourished pistol which an officer
found, however, was unloaded. He
however went home aud smashed ND a
part Of his furniture and behaved like
a mad bull generally, when his wife
fled TO a neighbor's for safety for which
he loaded his revolver and threatened
to shoot her protector. 4 visit from a
policeman and magistrate found the
man quiet and ready to talk to them
from an upper window This is the
first outbreak we believe of this former
steady citizen, and it is to be hoped
that another Fourth may find him
reinstated in the good opinion of the
community, clothed and in his right
mind.