The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-06-27

With the scattered wreck VI that wonderful
torn.
lie heard his brothers laughing below
OH oh, Oh. OH
But hc smiled and said: We'll. Idon't care
What u Fourth had in Rippantair.'
-Eudora S. Bumstcat, in Youths Companion
THE GLORIOUS FouRTH.
season.
Papa. papa. did you bring Us any
lirc-worss?' screamed Harry and
George Hall. both greatly excited.
mo, my boys. | was not in tho
city to-day. Besides. you arc both too
small for fireworks" Mr. Hall only
said this to quiet his sons. He knew
very we'll that no boy, unless a baby, is
ever too small for fireworks.
oh, no, papa. Jimmy down the
road is to have some, and he's hitler
than me. said Harry.
'.Robby Alorny's to have whole
package OF iirc-crackers all TO hissclf.
an he's not two years bigger than me. =
protested Georgy.
Il think pack Of torpcdocs for each
OF you will do the least harm. They
won't blow you up said papa. who had
almost forgotten how he used to feel on
the Fourth.
We'll, papa, what's the use Of talk
ing Of blowing up. You did not bring
ANY, said Harry. who was Il bit Of Il
philosopher. Both boys looked very
sober. and papa felt sorry for their dis
appointment.
allow will il do il give you each
fifty cents You can spend it as you
please at the village store" Fifty
cents! Georgy danced for JOY. Fifty
cents. papa Truly ! never had SO
much all 10 myself. did IT,
.Oh. you're baby. had more
than that last Christmas said Harry.
who is whole year older than Georgy,
who is small and delicate looking. But
Georgy is not easily repressed.
Can We have the money now. papa,
and so right away? Whatll we buy?
Oh goody, fifty ccnts!'
Here is your money. After supper
you can decide what yon want 10 buy,
and tomorrow morning you can go off
and spend it," You see this papa was
wise man. lie did not want 10 be
awakened by daylight with the noise
Of exploding gunpowder.
That evening the boys had lively
time deciding how TO spend their
money. They had lived through 50
few Fourths OF july that they knew the
names and prices OF only a few fire.
works. but they wanted all the kinds
they had seen. Mamma laughed quietly
as she heard the words so often re-
pcatcd. fire-crackers, torpedocs, punk,
pistols. The poor boys got badly
tangled in trying to make out list.
and finally took to calling one another
names. Papa thought it time to inter-
tcre. "Boys, boys. come here; think
yoa need my help What's the trouble?
Are sou tired Of your money and Of the
Fonrth2 What is this Fourth, anyway.
that you are making such fuss aboat?
BY this time Georgy was tired with
thinking and worrying, and was glad
e lay his curly head against his papa !
shoulder.
oh, | know all about it." said Har.
ry, soldiers and parades and fire.
works. You took us last year to see
splendid ones in the park in the city.
Georgy is so little he forgets.
NO. | don't. member Bridget's
boy put whole pack Of fire-crackers
in barrel and set 'em of Wasn't il
fun? That's what I'm going to do to
morrow"
Why? What is the use Of SO much
noise and SO many explosions? YOl
say you know all about it, Harry. Tel
me.
well, papa" said Harry, drawing ,
very long breath. ''once there WASH
any Fourth Of July here"
No Fourth o july interrupted
Georgy. What did the boys do?'
There was lots OF soldiers hero ant
they wanted to bosS every body, ant
there were fights said Harry.
Ibid any body get killed dead?"
Yes. ever SO many" continued
Harry. land then there were ever .,
many boys who had no papas and NJ
money
oh, dear! Why didn't they stay a
home and not go to get killed." aske'
Georgy, who did not like TO hear Q
boys in trouble. lie was SO often Their
himself.
Papa, you go on" begged Harry
you know better than me. Tell u
81 about it please. !"
Long ago." said papa, more tina
Que hundred years ago, all this haI
pcned. II you boys had lived then 20
would not have heard about ire-work
and professions Instead. every bod
was talking about the British soldier
and their cruelty and tho many thing
they forced the people to do that the
disliked. Even the boys could not pla
as they liked. Harry. don't you r.
member the story OF how the soldier
plagued the Boston boys when the
went to slide or skater"
| Yes. And when the boys saw the
slides spoiled. they made o compan
and had captain and marched to Ii
General and they told him about II
soldiers And then the General sal
they were brave boys"
| what was Fourth o July? aske
Georgy.
| mo. dear. not yet" said papa. II
soldiers grew more and more import
nent and kept on doing cruel things