The Globe-republican., 1891-07-01
AN OLD TIME "FoURTH."

not an unusual SlShC
First on the programme for an old
time celebration was the morning
salute. Cannons were scarce articles
in those days, so anvils were utilized.
Anvils have . sunken recess in tho
base. and when two anvils are so placed
that the recesses come together. II
makes box" These boxes were filed
with powder. and when the appointed
sentinels saw the first flush of dawn,
they applied the match, and bang! went
| the improvised cannon with an explO-
sion that threw the upper anvil in the
air and a conclusion that ratified every
window in town.
Then every church bell rang out, and
the courthouse bell joined in the clam
or, while the snvils were successfully
fred until the number of reports
equaled that of the states of the union.
BY this time everybody was up and
out in the streets. In those days, some
people kept Christmas, and others
Thanksgiving day, but everybody cele-
brated Fourth of July.
Every body wanted to celebrate. and
~ GuCy AAoO AOUS poOAAC SCASAAACAG WOSANA
have made them do it.
1t was great day for boys-the only
day in all the year, likely as not, when
then were allowed unlimited liberty to
enjoy themselves. 1t was also the ono
day in the year when they could spend
their money on ginger-pop. soda water
and peanuts without question. Fire.
crackers and fireworks were almost
unknown in those days outside Of the
large cities
At about ten o'clock in the morn.
ing the parade" began to form, gem
orally starting from the courthouse.
The marshal of the day, on the shini-
est and most spirited horse in town,
was the leader, and he usually had
four to six ''aide-de-camps," wearing
patriotic regalia, generally red, white
Then came the survivors" in car.
riages. If any revolutionary heroes
were present, they took precedent; if
not, the veterans of the war of 1912 or
the heroes of Scott's campaign in
Mexico.
Next came buggy with the ''orator
of the day. generally the village law
yer - accompanied by the mayor,
burgess or sheriff of the county. Then
came the old settlers in carriages, and
after them came the militia company
and all sorts of other companies.
Behind the companies came anybody
who wanted to march in procession, in
ranks more or less aligned, and almost
invariably big wagon crowded with
girls dressed in white, each wearing a
broad blue Or white ribbon marked in
red with the name of the state she rep
resented.
This feature of the parade was al.
ways sure of uproarious applause.
Finally came the boys, without any
alignment at all.
This procession moved to somebody's
grove, where stand had been pre-
viously erected, the militia stacked
arms, the marshals and committee took
the stand, the multitude were seated
or otherwise arranged, and the exer.
cises began.
and then a selected band of girls sang
''The Star Spangled Banner" Next
the schoolmaster read the declaration
of independence, with deep voice and
appropriate gestures, and then the
band played something patriotic.
Finally the orator of the day spoke his
speech, about an hour in length. and
you may be sure it was full of patri-
otic fire, denunciation of foreign
%l~
more than one declaration that we
were the greatest nation on earth.
The orator of the day was always
sure of generous applause, and the ora
ton always voted 1.-The best ever deliv-
cred"
This ended the exercises" and after
that came the informal festivities.
There was always a barbecue, an OK
roasted whole, maybe two, according
to the crowd, and perhaps half-dozen
sheep.
As for the minor ''fixings"-bread and
butter, cheese, pickles. pies and cakes
there was general contribution and
more than enough for all mouths
Sometimes there was a dance in the
grove, foot race, a wrestling match,
or perhaps horse race.
At night there wa a big bonfire in
front of the courthouse, at which the
small boy held high carnival and gen.
orally was master of ceremonies By
the way, this was about the only night
in the year he could stay up after nine
o'clock. and he enjoyed the privilege
SO much that he generally had to be
hauled in by his parents or big sister
some time near midnight
And 80 the celebration ended and
everybody went to bed SO full of patri-
otism that they wondered how the
other benighted nations of the world
managed to exist without Fourth OF
July.-Golden Days.
The Shaa Weakness. - They had
shad tor breakfast yesterday morning,