Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-07-06

the car came and I was thrust upon il
Bat having started that exciting tale. !
could not well stop, and thinkingit could
40 my fellow passengers no harm % hear
y, especially as several of them had a
scandinavian cast Of countenance and
had probably never heard il, | continued
10 discourse.
was much discouraged about the out.
Iook for popular patriotism when | saw
that my ~neighbors, instead Of applaud.
lng, whispered together and shook their
heads. Being unused to such i'll manners
Tor my great uncle was governor of the
state OF Michigan, and | was raised in
polite society," desisteG, though | would
nave been glad to have recounted to them
the tale OF Stephen Decatur, for whom |
have always had such an admiration that
l have frequently remarked that had |
lived In his time, l would have consid.
cred II no shame TO have married him.
The car was rolling along quietly, when
suddenly ii gave a lurch, ana in a minute
more was OFT the track, ana being DUMPED
over the ground by the frightened horses.
some OF the passengers rushed for the
door, but | sat as still as ! could for the
Joitlng, and chung onto the edge of the
seat, although | must confess that | suf
fered the most terrible agony on account
OF my rheumatism. The car was stoned
at last by "A policeman, and we got back
on the track, and heard that the boy
h threw the tire cr&2ser that fright
ened the horses had been arrested.
Another good patriot spoiled" / said
Indignantly to the policeman, thinking
for the boy. But | confess that his trick
served me such a turn that / was unable
to get OIL the car and had to be helped
across the paving to the house of my
daughter. There l was rubbed down
with Lniment and left for a nap. | had
just fallen into a pleasant doze and WAS
dreaming of the charming and devoted
Dolly Madison, when | was awakened by
my daughter, who rushed into the room.
bringing her little son Jimmy with her.
My daughter had raised Jimmy accord
ing 10 my directions, and TO have a regard
for the traditions and institutions of his
country. IL was on this account that his
mother had presented him with a little
10y plstol-a cute toy, quite martial in its
character. II grieves me to say that
Jimmy had net the necessary intelligence
TO teach him how TO use this. Conse.
quently when | saw Jimmy with two Of
his dear little fingers blown off, | felt il
was a shame that Jimmy was not nat
urally brighter and could not ana q
trlhe like that. But | felt that the whole
was a step in the right direction, although
wept bitterly at the sight of that ten
der, mutllated hand, and had q terrible
Tune When the doctor came to dress il.
1t was afternoon by this time and | was
anxious to start for home. The city was
so nolsy--the good people showing such
universal rejoicing-but | did not mind
that, and my son.in-lsw hitched up TO
drive me across town. The horse did
not act In the manner that an American
horse should and seemed to feel the
utmost aversion for the glorious coca.
sion. Finally he broke into a run-I re-
member no more till l found myself lying
in my bed at home with a broken arm.
over me hung my daughter, tired out
from cleaning up after the fire. Ny son
had n hand in a sling, but he said he
was merely suffering from a Slight acct
dent. But poor %Johnny's face-that is
the eldest boy-had his pretty face actu-
ally peppered with powder. fear he
to conceal the fact that patriots are be-
coming less adept every year. l do not
say that they do not mean well. l believe
they do. But they certainly are very
awkward. have never been able to use
my hand much since | was thrown from
that buggy. But l have not lessened in
my belief in the great day. | sympa-
thized with tbe afflicted of the family,
| wept Owe the little boy across the way
who was called TO a higher sphere while
honoring bis country with a small can
non, | grieved with my cousin whose
house was burned 10 the ground by a
rocket, but still hold to my faith in the
Fourth.
But ! have learned one thing, and that
is that fire crackers ought not to be put
in The same drawer with point lace, for a
match WAS accidentally dropped int that
drawer where / had placed nine and the
whole six punches went off-and 30 did
the $500 worth Of lace. But still, at the
time Of the rebellion, patriotic women
gave up their home for the union. Am |
less elf-sacriticiDg than these?