The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-03

dren in their song. His voice was about as
melQ(linus as q frozen n11nrlcin rolling o,rar

dren in their song. His voice was about as
melod1ous as frozen pumpkin rolling over
barn floor, but there was a great deal OF
it, and 1t distributed sharps and flats in q
manner which seemed quite revelation
to the master of the city band, who had
heard great deal of that sort Of thing
during his professional career
Then there was buzz of expectancy q
stir on the platform; the master of cere-
monies came forward, followed by Swim
gleton, and said;
Ladies' and gentlemen, our distinguished
fellow-townsman, John Swingleton, Es-
quire, will now favor us with an address. f"
The chairman fell back Swingleton came
to the front, and little Dennis, pushing
through the crowd, leaned an elbow on the
rail, put his chin in his hand and opened
his mouth and eyes very wide, so that notl,
ing should escape him.
Ny friends" said Swingleton, what
have to say is too little and too simple to
deserve the name of an address. 1 only
want to warn you that we, as people, are
not half grateful enough fer the blessings
we enjoy-blessings such as have never
come to any other nation on the face # the
earth. We've got splendid country, nc
strong or ugly neighbors to be afraid of,
nor any enemies but those that through our
own carelessness we breed among our
selves. It's against this carelessness that
want to warn you. I'm the right man to
do it, for I'm the most guilty in that re-
gard Our great National holiday has for
years been to me nothing but day in
which business was suspended and l could
take day of rest or for special work
I've often regarded it rs more nuisance
than any thing else. All the great mem
cries and meanings of the day have been
as little to me, for many years, as if they
belonged to dead and gone land. 1 be-
lieve most of the men and women in the
Nation are about as bad in this respect as L,
and l want to say to you that it's ia tbs lack
OF heart and patriotic impulse, this abb
sence of the pride we ought to have in
what God has intrusted to u.s. that all po-
litical plotters and thieves of high and low
degree find their opportunity. The worst
enemies land ever had were those it
reared at home, and we have been rearing
hundreds of thousands OF that kind. /, for
one, am going to reform, and beg all of you
to join with me in making this anniversary
IL
feeling and earnest resolve Let us con-
stantly bear in mind Washlngton's words
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty
they mean q hundred times as much now
as when they were first spoken, for trick
sters and thieves are hundred times
harder to watch than open foemen with
guns and swords. That IS all wanted to
say"
" Three cheers for the boss!" shrilly
piped little Dennis. There was loud re-
Spouse, and then, before the crowd sep
arated, a citizen who apparently had begun
his Fourth in rumshop the night before
began singing For he'sa Jolly good fell
low" the music of which the band took up.
being assisted by quite an uproarious
chorus, and Swingleton INDUCED in a
pleased, expansive smile-the first of the
kind that Cliff Edge had ever seen on his
face
The breakfast was SO successful that
there was very little appetite for dinner in
the town that day. The giver of the feast,
however, had very little opportunity to
personally partake of it, for he was con-
tinually interrupted by congratulations on
his speech, and on what one good old
termed his change of heart He
accepted it all pleasantly; indeed, he was
as cheerful and hearty as new converts
generally are, and seemed to need only
night and fireworks to fill his cup of Joy.
Darkness was long in coming, but when it
did arrive the villagers admitted that twas
worth having waited for; certainly such
quantity OF fireworks had never been seen
before, even by those who had lived In the
neighboring city. Swingleton lighted them
all himself, except when some small boy
begged the privilege; the solid man seemed
to enjoy asoaring rocket or whirling pin
wheel as keenly as any child ON the
ground But besides these familiar pyro-
technics there were "set pieces"-stars.
anchors, American eagles, portrait of
etc. The last of these was the
RED, White and Blue"-an enormous re-
production, in colored fire, of our National
flag. 1t cost fifty dollars, and blazed only
two minutes by the watch, but Swingleton
said he never in his life had got more salts
faction out of a fifty dollar bill. And as the
crowd slowly dispersed and Swingleton
strolled to the outside OF the throng to find
his own family, little Dennis, who reverent-
ly followed behind, heard the great mans
voice rumbling and growing and squeak
ing, in his attempts at tune:
" Hurrah! fos the morning OF mornings has
come;
Unfurl every banner and beat every drum
John Habberton, in St Louis Globe Dem
ocrat.