The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-07-08
THE WAY WE CELEBRATE.


The Fourth of July, observes the
Kansas City Star, was celebrated all
over the country in the usual fashion,
which demonstrates that we are pa
triotic, but not frivolous people. We
have our fun, but nowhere, except I'M
der the influence of spirituous liquors
or national political convention, do
we become boisterous or demonstra-
tive in our glee. The diffusion of En-
glish blood is so great in our popula-
( ton that, like those islanders of the
sunless cline, we "take our pleasures
sadly,n Under such sun as shines
nowhere else i'm the temperate zone,
I the national banner Haunted its bright
colors, but was regarded with silent
and respectful attention; nobody at
sight of it burst out into singing the
national anthem" for nobody knows
for certain that we have one, and no
cheers rose for the flag unless mo-
tion properly seconded was made to
that effect. There was Emusic by the
band" a great deal of it, but as peo-
pie we are not certain that we enjoy
music, and accordingly nobody shed
tears or grasped anybody else by the
hand or rapturously encored when
patriotic or any other airs were play
ed. Where a great crowd was gath
cred about band stand the greater
part moved about during the music
and few remained quiet and listened
even to an entire selection. When it
is remembered how much money is
paid out by the great American peO-
pie for music lessons, this seems
strange. Children romped and play
ed, for youth is joyous in all countries
and nations, but even in family gath
erings around the table cloth, spread
on the grass beneath the trees, the ell
dels seemed to feel that life was short
and serious, and eternity certain.
Young men and maidens walked Sc
dately side by side as if they felt the
responsibilities of existence already
pressing heavily upon them. They
were doubtless happy, but they pre-
served the American reticence i'm re-
gard to their personal and private
emotions. 1t would have been a re-
lief to have heard among the serious
thousands who were enjoying the
great annual festival even the cloud
laugh that marks the vacant mind"
Yet, after all, it was the festal day
of great and successful and self-re-
speeding people. In a crowd of 90
900 men, women and children one
might fail to find a ragged or ill-clad
person. If there were few notes of
merriment there was also lacking the
whining and dOlorous voice of the
mendicant. If there was little of the
gay laughter of the light heart there
was seldom to be heard, except in
places set apart for such, the idiOtic
whOoping of the drunkard. If no.
body danced, nobody fought. Only
it was trifle solemn and dull; that
was all.
Possibly it is because we are such
great people and have done so much
and are still doing SO much, that we
have not learned more of the lightness
and brightness and spontaneous grace
of life. When we have the continent
fairly subjugated, and our deadly SER
iOus politics Strengthened out, and our
fortunes made, we will learn how to
enjoy ourselves. We will grow less
shy and self-consciOus and revolt
from the tyranny of business, and
learn the art of general conversation,
and learn to really love music, and
we will widen out and warm up and
grow spontaneous, SO that at least on
the Fourth of July we will cheerfully
and frankly acknowledge that we are
happy.
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WITHDRAWAL CARD.