Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-06


eating and drinking and frolicking, the
military formed in liue, and, preceded
by drum and fife and four or five boys
bearing the riddled target-board, they
marched back to the city and put away
their arms aud accoutrements until
next time.
IN THESE DAYS.
When the war came there were no holi.
days for the masses; it was all fighting
and no frolicking. After the first year
there were few new or clean uniforms
70 narade in. and no powder and cars
10 Spare for salutes which would kill
nobody.
Hostilities ended, the Confederate
flag furled, Richmond people looked a.
the unturfed graves in Oakwood and
Holly wood and at the burnt dis
trict in their city, and at the Federal
troops quartered in the suburbs, and
could not all at once revive Fourth
of.July patriotism in their breasts. But
as nature and human Industry covered
the escars ofwar, and the great majorit Of
the North and of the South buried their
differences, the observance Of the Fourth
again became general here. At first no
attention was paid to it. Few closed
places Of business. Now, it is the most
generally observed holiday Of the year,
Christmas alone excepted.
In these times, as Of old, the stars.
and-stripes float from every Flagstaff
and masthead; but the crowds which
used to picnic near the city now take
excursion.trains and fly to Washington,
to Old Point, to the White Sulphur, to
Fredericksburg, to Petersburg-indeed,
anvy here to be out of Richmond. The
colored troops, ever burning with pa
triotism aud ever Indifferent to the
burning sun, have usually stayed At
home and paIaded and marched and
pic-nicked.
Our people 60 out and the country
people, white and black, come in. The
excursion trains pass each other on the
roads, and so crowded are the cars that
it is hard TO tell whether the outcome
or in-put is the greater and 1t Is
likewise disputed point whether the
country people who come to the city or
the city people who go to the country
catch more Of hot weather. But 1t
makes no difference. 1t is the natal
day of American independence it is a
day for fun and frolic, and if the former
is only to be got by much endurance
and some hard work, and the latter
leaves headaches, they are but part and
parcel of the Joy and misery we must
endure for our beloved country.
A FOURTH ON THE FIFTH.
The Fourth this year falling on Sun
day--a day too sacred for the usual
| yesterday the 9Th was
adopted aud took the title and honors OF
Independence Day. The weather was
propitious that is TO say it did not
rain. Clouds broke the heat Of the sun
and good breeze prevailed most Of the
time, but on occasions when it dropped
the atmosphere was close and hot, aud
those on marching duty could barely
sustain themselves. Towards night
heavy black clouds gathered in the west
and a rain threatened, but did not fall.
Saturday and yesterday we're two Of
the dryest days of the season. Sunday
was tolerably dry; there was only one
shower, that in the evening, and quite
brief in duration. So the weather kindly
favored the Fourth, and enabled the
numerous visitors to the city to enjoy
themselves uninterrupted by such
down. pours as have characterized May,
June, and July. The Capitol Square,
the streets, and the city parks were
crowded-the colored people predom-
mating. At night there was a great
racket Of crackers fired off by the boys,
and some Of the streets were lighted
with coloIed lights. Altogether the
day was more generally observed than
any Fourth since the war, and the feS-
tivities were conducted with good order
and excesses we're rare.
Al The Confederate Soldiers Home.
r. E. Lee Camp, Confederate Ve-
terans, assembled at their hall on
Broad near Fourth at O'Clock P.
NJ. ard with their drum corps took up
the line of march for the +" Home, u
having in escort Phil. Kearny, Post,
Grand Army Of the Republic. When
in sight Of the Home the battery Of
| four i2.pounder NapOleons, served by
inmates of the Home, under command
of Major Thomas A. Brander, fired a
welcome.
Soon after their arrival the crowd was
| gratiiied by the arrival Of the orphans
from the Male Orphan Asylum under
charge of Mrs. Gill, headed by band
| of their own number, playing Dixie "
(the horns being made of q composition
of paper, followed by q drum corps
with small drums.
At about 6 O'Clock the four guns in
the Home park-Major Brander, CON-
mander Colonel Murphy and Captain
xx1 t..l