The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-10
FIRST INDEPENDENCE DAY.

Astory for Small Boys Appropriate to tn,
| Season.
Papa. papa, did you bring us AMI
hre-works?' screamed Harry ant
George Hall, both greatly excited.
mo, my boys. I was not in tn,
city to-day. Besides, you are both tot
small for fireworks. Mr.. Hall onl,
said this to quiet his sons. He knew
| very we'll that no boy. unless baby, il
ever too small for fireworks.
"Ob, no, papa. Jimmy down the
road is to have some, and he's little,
than me, /" said Harry.
"Robby Morny's to have a whole
package of fire-crackers all to hisself,
an he's not two years bigger than me, u
protested Georgy.
Il 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 talk
ing OF blowing up. You did not bring
any," said Harry, who was bit of a
philosopher. Both boys looked very
sober, and papa felt sorry for their dis
appointment
"How will 1t do ii I give you each
fifty cents. You can spend it as you
please at the village store" Fifty
cents! Georgy danced for joy. "Fifty
cents! papaP Truly? I never had SO
much all to myself, did IP'
''Oh, you're a baby. l 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 depressed.
Can we have the money now, papa,
and 60 right away? What'll we buyp
Oh goody, fifty cents!"
Here is your money. After supper
you can decide what you want to buy,
and tomorrow morning you can go off
and spend it." You see this papa was
a wise man. He did not want to be
awakened by daylight with the noise
OF exploding gunpowder.
That evening the boys had lively
time deciding how to spend their
money. They bad lived 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, fire-crackers, torpedoes, 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-
fere. boys, boys, come here; think
you need my help. What the troubleP
Are you tired Of your money and Of the
Fourth? What is this Fourth, anyway.
that you are making such fuss aboutP
BY this time Georgy was tired with
thinking and worrying. and was glad
to lay his curly head against his papa
shoulder.
"Oh, l 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. l member Bridget's
boy put whole pack of fire-crackers
in barrel and set 'em of. Wasn't it
fun? That's what I'm going to do to-
morrow"
why? What is the use Of SO much
noise and SO many explosions? You
say you know all about it, Harry. Tell
me-"
well, papa" said Harry, drawing a
very long breath, "once there wasn't
any Fourth Of July here
"No Fourth o july interrupted
GeOrgy. What did the boys do?''
There was lots of soldiers here and
they wanted tc boss every body, and
there were fights" said Harry.
"Did any body get killed dead?"
Eyes, ever SO many continued
Harry, ''and then there were ever so
many boys who had no papas and no
money"
On dear Why didn't they stay 1t