St. Landry democrat., 1889-07-13
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

A STORY FOR SMALL BOYS APPROPRIATE
TO THE SEASON.
"Papa, papa, did you bring us any fire.
works?' screamed Harry and George Hall,
both greatly excited.
"No, my boys. l was not in the city to-
day. Besides, you are both too small for
FIRE works." Mr.. Hall only said this to
quiet his sons. He knew very well that
no boy, unless baby, is ever too small for
fire. works.
ooh, no, papa. Jimmy down the road
is to have some and he's hitler than me, :"
said Harry.
"Robby Morny's to have whole pack
age of fire crackers all to hisself, an he's
not two years bigger than me" protested
Georgy.
II think pack of torpedoes 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.
"Well, papa, what's the use of talking
of blowing up? You didn't bring any,"
said Harry, who was bit of philosopher.
Both boys looked very sober, and papa felt
sorry for their disappointment
"How will it do if l 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 to my
self, did II"
'Oh, you're baby l had more than
that last Christmas" said Harry, who is a
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
go right, away? What'll we buy2 Oh,
goody fifty cents p
"Here is your money. After supper you
can decide what you want to buy, and to-
morrow morning you can go off and spend
it." You see this papa was wise man.
He did not want to be awakened by day
light with the noise of exploding g-an-
powder.
That evening the boys had lively time
deciding how to spend their money. They
had livedi through so few Fourths of July
that they knew the names and prices of
only few fire. works, but they wanted all
the kinds they had seen. Mamma laughed
quietly as she heard the words so often re-
peated, fre-crackers, torpedoes, punk,
pistols. The poor boys got badly tangled
trying to make out list, and finally
took to calling one another names. Papa
thought it time to interfere.
Boys, boys, come here; l think you
need my help What's the trouble? Are
you tired of your money and the Fourth
What is this Fourth, anyway, that you are
making such fuss about?'
By this time Georgy was tired with
thinking and worrying, and was glad tc
lay his curly head against his papa's
shoulder.
"oh, Nnow all about it," said Harry
''soldiers &sd parsdes and fireworks. You
took US lass year to see splendid ones in
the park IN the city. Georgy is SO little
mo, l son't. 1'member Bridget's boy
put whoee pack of fire crackers in bar
rel and Sc EN- off. Wasn't it fun2 That's
what Pm going to do tomorrow"
"Why? What is the use of so much
noise and so many explosions2 You say
you know all about it, Harry. Tell me.
"Well, papa" said Harry, drawing 1
very long breath, 'once there wasn't any
Fourth of July here"
"No Fourth O. July ?" interrupted Georgy
"What did the boys do?"
s"There was lots of soldiers here ane
they wanted to boss every body, and there
were fights" said Harry.
"Did any body get killed dead"
eyes, ever so many" continued Harry
'sand then there were ever SO many boy
who had no papas and no money"
'Oh, dear Why didn't they stay a
home and not go to get killed?" asked
Georgy, who did not like to hear of boy!
| in trouble He was so often there himself
"Papa, you go on" begged Harry
sYou know better than me. Tell US al
about it, please"
''Long ago." said papa, "more than on
hundred years ago, all this happened. l
you boys had lived then you would no
have heard about e-works and process
sions. Instead, every body was talking
about the British soldiers and their cruelt
and the many things they forced the PEG
pie to do that they disliked. Even tn
boys could not play as they liked. Harry
| don't you remember the story of how tn
| soldiers plagued the Boston boys whel
| they went to slide or skater
Eyes. And when the boys saw thei
| slides spoiled, they made company an
had captain and marched to the Genera
and they told him about the soldiers. An
then the General said they were brav
boys 49,
'sWhat was Fourth O. July 2" asked Geo1
gy. sNo, dear, not yet" said papa. TIL
soldiers grew more and more impertinen
and kept on doing cruel things to the PEG
pie. The King of England sent the SO
diers here and he would not take ther
away for he had sent them to make tn
Americans do as he wished. The peopl
kept growing more angry and at last the
could stand it no longer, but they wei
not strong enough to drive the soldier
away.
| Didn't they have any guns to shoot tt
soldiers, papa2" asked Georgy.
"Not many, and they had not muc
money to buy ammunition, neither ha
they been drilled as the British soldier
were. So altogether they hardly kne
what to do"
would fifty cents buy gun, papa
asked Georgy, looking at his silver piec'
"What little goose you are" said in
patient Harry. '.Do go on, papa. Wh'
did the 'Mericans dor"
ssThe men formed companies and raise
money to buy arms. They had to drill
night off in the country. They hid the
guns and swords in the daytime SO tt
soldiers could not find them
81 know about that" cried Harry. .'TI
soldiers found out that the 'Mericans he
hid whole lot of guns and powder an
they went after these. But the 'Mericar