Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-07-13
HORAH's FOURTH OF JULY.

and beauty everywhere; and the eager
good-natured American crowd were all
trying to celebrate the glorious Fourth.
Among that days arrival were pretty Mrs.
Burmeister and her Irish maid Norah,
middle-aged daughter of Erin, who was
very much attached to her pretty mistress,
and still persisted in calling her "Miss
Madge," although the laws of Church and
State had given her the title of Mrs. and
wife to Major Burmeister, a wealthy law
yer of New Jersey. Much to his regret
that genial gentleman could not leave
home to celebrate the "glorious" on ac-
count of illness, /" superinduced," said the
doctor, "by prolonged attack of la
grippe" the fashionable fad of the year
1890, brought over from Russia with that
| vile connection Russia tea,n cold, iced
and lemoned. The following conversation
| was heard between Norah and her mistress
hall an hour after their arrival at the Sea
| Beach Hotel:
Sure, Miss Madge, Use niver been even
half way to clam-bake. Kate Pagan
tills me there is to be foine wan to-day,
| and If yers can spare me Oh won't ask
anither holyday for wake or more, even
to go clamouringw
Oh, Norah,' said Madge, "you know
| would like you to have good time, but
| do want to go on that sailing party to
Glen Island, and don't know one of the
party, and / am afraid the Major would
not care for me to go alone"
Fax, Miss, could yer not be inthro-
duced as Miss Burmeister, and thin yer
would be freer to have good time and ac-
cipt the gintlemen's polite attintIons that
yer beauty, goodness and youth entities you
to. Being as the Captain knows yer he
can look afther yers welfare in the physi-
cal way"
Madge laughed at Norah's adroit flat
terry so neatly wedged in the remarks, then
said:
Well, suppose could go. There is
really no harm in it; and it is such per-
feet day for sail, and a relief to get away
from this noisy crowd"
Sure" said Norah," the pace and
quiet of the restless say, yer sing about
would be hiven long side of this clatter
though why livery American should kape
the Fourth day of July instid of any other
date bates me. Now the Bible says the
SEVENTH day, but that is Sunday. Sup.
pose the President changed it, for if livery
wan goes away for the Fourth the priests
and ministers would preach to the empty
pews full. Well, Miss, if yer say, Tll &c
to me clam-bake for the very first tonne
Good luck to it."
So Norah went down the stairs and or
the beach to join her friends. And soor
the small sail boat, with a party OF Jolly
girls pushed off, Norah the only one Of
them who never had been to bake, OF
seen clam, and her remarks on the clam
| and its surroundings caused shouts o.
laughter; and the remark "sure, Norah
yere as green as the man that put goose
berries under hin to hatch goslings"
He was much more of goose thar
me-" replied Norah.
The breeze was fresh, and they soon
landed on the north side of Glen Island
Norah, to whom ali islands were alike
was ignorant of the fact that the same
place was the destination of her mistress.
| They were soon scattered over the
beach, each armed with hoe, or stick, to
pry up the clam, who is only proverbially
| happy at high tide when inaccessible to
his pursuers.
Bridget Pagan was instructing Norah
how to get them.
Yer see that little round circular
orifice," said she, much risimbling hole.
The clam is under that Yer must follow
him by scratching. Whin he spits at yers
he is sinking further down, and yer must
dig lively behind him as he goes forrard.
Do yer understands"
Where would the haythen go to ~
said Norah
"Och, way beyant below"
Below where" insisted Norah.
Yer shovel, or yer hoe, stupid" said
Bridget, as she walked off to dig clans on
her own account, leaving Norah alone !;
but Norah when alone was never less alone
If conversation was sign of company. So
she worked and talked to herself in a
cheerful tone.
Mighty little bake, sure, if / can
foind only wan clam in his nest hole
Fax, its loikly he has his family wild him
sometimes, unless he is monk. Sure,
hope livery wan | foind will be twins.
Wonder now if he lays aigs Aigs would
hip out bake. If get any loike as not
no wan thought of an aig batter Wan
always forgets to reminder utensils of that
sort at picnic of this koind. Well, we
can suck 'em separate, and ate the clam
wild the bake. Wonder now if its a laying
off sayson wild the clam loike hin at
Christmas. Cowld water moight affect
him loike the cowld winter does hin.
Begorra no, they are laying" said she ex-
citedly; heres SHE'LL" exhuming
single clam shell as she spoke Il know
aigs whin | see shells :" and she gave a
little squeal of triumph as she worked
harder for the doubtful encouragement,
perspiring freely and cheerfully, with the
vision ahead of her of the hitherto I'M
known luxury Of clam-bake In the dis
tance
The yacht Hebe. with Mrs. Burmelster
on board, was leaving the slip amid cheers
and hurrahs from the crowd on the beach.
Madge was looking her prettiest in her
natty yachting suit of dark green, with
guilt buttons, sailor hat and tan gloves.
The Captain came forward, calling her Miss
Burmeister. As he introduced some of
the young gentlemen, Madge blushed first
at the unaccustomed title; then as the
yacht sped gaily away her spirits arose
and she flung all scruples to the winds.
With the salt sea air blowing the carna-
Iiou iuto Hei idiT CHEEKS, ana the excite
ment lending fine fash to her dark eyes,
she was enough to stir any mans pulse
and make their hearts beat merry tattoo
against their striped blazers.
One young Baltimore fellow was fast
losing his heart. Madge's quick, bright
ways, witty repartee and her bewildering
smile had finished him.
All her lifelong Madge had despised
married fiirt. Her true nature found the
doubtful pleasure of flirting repugnant to
her sense of honor; yet here she was
stranger on board yacht actually flirting
with young man who, short hour ago,
was total stranger to her.
Society sanctions it; and "the spoon
with nothing it," as Punch called. flirting.
was being passed all around that gay COM
pany; gay butterflies of fashion were smil-
ing and ogling married men, and young
pretty wives were accepting support Of
strong muscular arms to hold them steady
when the yacht lurched; arms that should
have had a legal right were not there
but the absence Of body was not noticed
by these fair danes who had all the pres
enee of mind to accept the aid nearest.
That courtesy which every true man
renders true woman is one of the rare
IL. l. 4