The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-07-04
AN OLD TIME "FoURTH."


In the "Fiftics."
There seems to be n division of opin-
ion about the celebration of %Independ-
encc day. One class holds that patriot
| ism is diving out. because the day is not
celebrated with SO much noise rs 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 'fifties." the revolutionary wal
did not seem so far away as it does
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 4 sunken recess in the
base. and when two anvils are so placed
| that the rccesscs come together, it
makes n box" These boxes were filled
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 cxplo-
sion that threw the upper anvil in the
air and Il conclusion that ratified every
window in town.
by this time everybody was up and
on. in the streets. In those days, some
people kept Christmas. and Others
Thanksgiving day, but everybody celc-
bratcd Fourth of July.
Everybody wanted to celebrate, and
if they had not, public sentiment would
have made them do it.
II was a great day for boys-the only
day in all the year, likely as not, when
then were allowed unlimited liberty &c
enjoy themselves. Ii was also h one
day in the year when they could spend
their money on gingcr-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-dc-camps." wearing
patriotic rcgalia. generally red. white
and blue sashes and immense rosettes.
Then came the survivors" in car
riagcs. If any revolutionary heroes
We're present, they took precedent; il
not. the veterans of the war of 1872 or
the heroes of SCOTS campaign in
Mexico.
Next came a 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 anne anybody
who wanted to march in procession. in
ranks more or less aligned, and almost
invariably a big wagon crowded with
girls dressed in white, each wearing 4
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 ut all.
This procession moved to somebody's
grove, where a 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.
First there was miscellaneous salute,
and then Il selected band of girls sang
''The Star Spanglcd Banner" Next
the schoolmaster read the declaration
of independence. with a 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 he sure it was full of patri-
ot:c fire. deEunciatio1 OF FOREIGN
nations. laudation of the union. and
more than one declaration that we
were the greatest nation on earth.
The orator of the day vas always
sure of generous applause, and the ora
ton always voted 1.-The best ever deliv-
cred"
This ended the EXERCISES" and after
hat came the informal festivities
There was always a barbecue, an ox
roasted whole. maybe two, according
to the crowd, and perhaps a h~alf-dozen
sheep.
As for the minor 'fixings"-bread and
butter, cheese, pickles, pies and cakes
was a general contribution and
more than enough for all mouths
Sometimes there was n dance in the
grove, n foot race, n wrestling match,
or perhaps a horse race.
At night there wa a big bonfire in
of the courthouse, at which the
small boy held high carnival and gem
orally was master of ceremonies. By
the way. this was about the o.ily night
in the year he could stay Ut after nine
and he enjoyed the privilege
SO much that he generally had to be
hauled in by his parents or big sister
some time neal midnight.
And % the celebration ended and
went to bed 50 I'LL of patri-
that they wonde. ed how the
other benighted nations of the world
managed to exist without . Fourth Of
nly.-Gnldsp-n~