Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-07-06
GRANDMA'S FOURTH OF JULY.

okANDMAN !JURIH VI JULY.
have always been patriotic. Ny
grandfathec was q Green mountain patrio,
IN the days when all Of England and the
united colonies were against that terri
tory. /, myself, at The x Of 60, made
ten bushels Of lint between the battle of
gettysburg and the equalization of Apo
matox. am intimately acq .ainted with
the history of al the signers Of the Dec
!~aration Of independence, and may fur
tncr urge IN proof OF my devoted and dis
Interested patriotism, that I was not
ashamed TO sing national 0ougs in a
white dress and a band wagon about the
country throughout the famous Tippe.
canoe campaign.
When all Of tke5e things are taken into
consideration, il will not be difficult 10
believe that ] have sll my life been an
enthusiastic supporter ci that popular
demonstration Of public patriotism, the
fourth Of Jlly. | have always encour.
aged my grandchildren to celebrate, and
hlye instructed their parents TO guard
against the decay OF patriotic fervor.
Patriotism like religion" Inave often
said TO my dear sons, must have it's out
ward sign and symbol. Hang the old
sword where it can be seen, teach the
children the tradition OF national indie
p~endence-all the legends of the famous
heroes, and the history Of the fights
and, above all, let them have a good time
on the Fourth. A patriot can be made
with the same ease that a carpenter can.
But even a patriot must serve an ap-
premiership"
And | have even gone 90 far as 10 limp
down to the corner grocery store after
dark for the purpose OF enlarging the
store OF fire crackers. | did this very
thing a year ago come the 3D. Of July.
These additional crackers | put in my top
bureau drawer in somewhat dangerous
proximity to my point lace, for there is
no denying that fire crackers do not maize
a lady like perfume among ones laces.
But wanted to keep them out Of sight
till the stock that my son had purchased
for the boys was exhausted. The morn.
ing of the Fourth was beautiful. but
v 4 q aWh hCHSu ~ 4 = ny luC uTlUg
OF cannon, and could not get asleep
again because of the cracking all over
the city, but though it exhausts me ex-
ceedingly to lie awake, ! felt that ! had
no right to complain, and tried 10 fix my
mind upon the noble women at the battle
OF Bennington who have given their new
flannel petticoats to serve as the flag Of
the young republic.
Thinking upon such heroic self-sacri-
flee, | realized that it would be ignoble
of me TO complain over SO slight a thing
IS one nights loss of sleep, and repeat
ing the clause relating to the safety of
the republic from the prayer book, passed
the remainder of the night in great
peace OF mind, though in hopeless wake
the boys getting up overhead, and in q
few moments recognized the step OF their
dear father, whose training had been SO
thorough in patriotic observance that he
could not lie abed longer. My heart
swelled and my eyes filed with tears as l
reflected upon his fidelity to the teach
ings of his youth, and l felt proud and
glad that even against the will of his
father ! had named him Ethan Allen.
a few minutes after this | heard a re-
sounding report which caused me to leap
from my bed-not with fright, but be-
| cause of q t~reaCherOus condition Of my
nerves. which | believe are pot so patri-
Otto as my intellect.
knew il was my dear son Ethan firing
of his revolver, thus setting an example
for the boys. | bathed my head with
camphor and was about to lie down
when | heard a most piteous bowling.
Then from the EXPLANATIONS IN the yard
! learned that the second shot from the
revolver had killed Or st least seriously
| Injured, the terrier, 8 good animal, very
social with me. and Of much comfort to
me in the long evenings. II developed
afterwards that he was indeed killed, for
in @ few moments his piteOus barkings
ceased, snd | heard the boys making
moan over him and wondering what
grandma would say. | was 10th TO have
this pet slain upon the altar of his
country, for it was pleasant TO have him
in my lap of an evening, now that l can
no longer see 10 read, and | always felt
safe with him outside the door. | WAS
fam to weep a little in a weak and
womanish way, for | loved the terrier;
but finally rejecting that | had lost two
sons in the rebellion, | dried my eyes.
For if | could endure so great a catas-
trephe, | ought surely not to mind
greatly the loss of a little terrier.
The boys were firing off their crack
ers again, and | was rejecting upon the
avidi!y with which they would seize
their muskets when they were old
enough. in case the country should need
their services on the northwestern from
tier or else where, when l detected a
smell of burning wood. At first |
| thought il was only the barrel into which
| they mad been finging the crackers by
the bunch, but in a short time | per
| ceived that it was too strong for that
and also that il could not be their mother
lighting the fire. A moment later |
heard my son calling frantically for US 10
get up and put or u cintnes, as the
woodshed was AZ and he feared i
might spread 10 the house.
On account Of the infrmity OF my
nerves, to which I lave before referred
I found il very difficult to dress, especi
ally as | was for running to the baby ane
TIE little girls and my daughter-in-law
But the fire engine was soon upon Zig anC
hard q, work. In twenty minutes dan
ger was past. To be sure the water hac
been thrown copiously into the kitchen
and into my room, which is on the fire.
floor near the back. 90 that we could no
light a fire in the stove and / could never
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