Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1891-07-04
AN OLD TIME "FOuRTH."
How Our Natal Day Was Celebrated Back
In the "Eifties."

HOW our Natal Day was Celebrated BACK
In the "Eifties."
There seems to be a division of opin-
ion about the celebration of Independ-
ence day. One class holds that patriot
ism is dying out, because the day is not
celebrated with 50 much noise as for
merly, while the other class contends
that we are just as patriotic, but more
sensible.
Whichever is right, it is certain that
the day is not celebrated with the en-.
thusiasm of forty or fifty years ago.
In the "hfties," the revolutionary war
did not seem SO far away as it does
now, and a survivor of the war was
not an unusual sight.
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 a sunken recess in the
base, and when two anyils are SO placed
that the recesses come together, it
makes a box" These boxes were filled
with powder, and when the appointed
sentinels saw the first flush of dawn,
they applied the match, and bangl 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.
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.
Everybody wanted to celebrate, and
If they had not, public sentiment would
have made them do it.
1t was a 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 one
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, gen.
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
n blue sashes and immense rosettes.
Then came the survivors" in car.
RACES If any revolutionary heroes
We're present, they took precedent: if
not, the veterans of the war of 1912 or
the heroes of Scots campaign in
Mexico.
Next came a buggy with the "ora.or
OF the day"-generally the village law.
yer accompanied by the mavor.
burgess or sheriff of the county Than
came the old settlers in carriages, and
after them came the militia companv
and all sorts of other companies.
behlnd the companies came apvbodv
who wanted to march in procession ~
ranks more or less aligned, and almost
invariably a big wagon crowded with
girls dressed in white, each wearing
broad blue or white ribbon marl,ed ~
red with the name Of the state che ron'
resented. 'P
This feature of the parade was nj.
ways sure Of uproarious ann,,rsa
FINALLY came the boys, without anv
at all. ""S
This procession moved to somebodv,s
grove, where a stand had been nre.
Vionsiy erected, the militia Stacked
arms, the marshals and committee tool,
the stand, the multitude were se,tnd
or otherwise arranged, and the ever.
cises began.
rirstthere was a miscellaneous solpts
then a selected band of girls sane
Inc Star S%pangled Banner.n NJ
tnc sehoolmaster read the declaration
OF independence, with a deep voice and
appropriate gestures, and then tba
Dand played something patriotic
flnaly the orator OF the dav snol,e hi.
speech about an hour in length. and
you may be sure it was full Of natri'
QUO ire, denunciation OF foro;an
nations, iaudation of the union, and
more than n declaration thai ~
were the greatest nation on earth
lne orator of the day was alwav,
sure OF generous applause, and the or,
non always voted 'the best ever de,iv.
lhis ended the ''exercises.n ,ra .uu
,nat came the informal fcs,iu;t,""
!, nero was always q barbecue, nm ox
.oasted whole, maybe two, accord;un
'heep, naii-dozen
AS 1or the minor "axings"-bread md
'u,'er, Cheese pickles, pies and c,lss.
mere was a general contribution and
oio 'nan enough for all months
oolneImes there was a dance in H..
'rovo, a loot race, n WRESTLING m,,
It perhaps a horse race, ""'ch'
Az night there wa a biz borsr,
ron. OF The courthouse, at which !"
,aa,i nov held high carnival md sn'
was master of cercmonic. spn-
ne way this was about tho onl, ny
!, ,o, .nS year he could stay up after N.Y." nima
luck, and he enjoyed the privi nae
omia a,n mat he generally had ~ :
,au,ea IN by his parents or bio &c.. "e =
ome time near midnight. "s SISTER
nns 30 Tue celebration ended ~,
Icy went to bed SO full Of n, ana
, tSm mat they wondered how pi ~.
'ner oenighted nations Of the .