San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-07-08
THE INNOVATION.


course, he asked the blessing. The
parsons heart was full of gratitude.
and So too was the heart OF every
body else about the table that morn
ing. Even Mss Trustworthy Wash
ington the generals cousin, was
thankful and it was hardly to be ex-
pected that she. having been educated
in Europe and having once been pre-
scented at court. should express extra
ordinary jubilation upon this ami
versary OF the violent withdrawal
OF the colonies from the protection Of
the mother country. Yet in spite Of
poison Of Toryism that still fingered
in her system Miss PraisewOrthy
Washington was proud of her cousin
George; she loved particularly to dis
course of him to others as a valorOus
Indian fighter-his early campaigns
with the lamented Braddock were as
familiar to her as the homely every
day scenes about Mount Vernon.
= Mr.. and Mrs. Gusts had come all
the way from Baltimore and their
two children were with them. Upon
the latter Grandma Washington
beamed benignantly this Fourth OF
July morning.
'Gran'ma is going to give you
something nice after b. eakfast,n said
she; something very nice but very
terrible. Promise gran'ma that you
will be good children and do just what
she tells you all day long"
The mystery was about 10 be solved.
1t had been kept a profound mystery
for more than a week-yes ten days
ago Dr. Preston and Col. Page Cul-
pepper had returned from Philadel-
phia bringing with them among other
goods a large pine box. securely nailed
and hoped and impressively labeled:
Mrs. Gen. George Washington-Ex-
p,Oslves Handle with Care" This
strange box and its mysterious con-
tents had been sto. ed in a remote shed
and the trustworthy body servant
Uncle Gabriel had been instructed TO
guard it jealousy by day and by
night No one but grandma and the
doctor and the colonel knew what wa,
in the box; even the general had been
kept out of the secret and it worried
him good deal for, although he let
on that the mystery merely amused
him he was really vexed to think
that something was going on which
he knew absolutely nothing OF.
Now, however it transpired that
the mysterious pine box contained
fireworks-the first fireworks ever
seen in that part OF the country. Mrs.
John Adams had told Mrs. Washing
ton the previous winter all about the
wonders of pyrotechnic display she
had seen in Philadelphia. and so.
when DR.. Preston and Col Culpepper
went 10 Philadelphia to purchase their
semi-anuual supply OF rum and other
luXuries Mrs. Washington instructed
them to procure for her goodly
quantity of fireworks wherewith she
might surprise aud delight the gener-
al and the grandchildren on Fourth of
July. There YOU have in a nutshell.
so to speak, the sum and substance Of
the mystery.
II they are explosives said Gen
Washington lit is proper that
should examine them diligently to
learn whether it may not be unwise
for the children TO deal with them "
This seemed so sensible a sugges-
ton that a committee consisting OF
the general Parson Weems and Col
Culpepper ad ,ourned Immediately
after breakfast to the remote shed.
WHERE under the Argus-eyed surveil-
ance OF Uncle Gabriel. the no longer
mysteriosu pine box was stored. In
due time this august committee re-
ported that in their opinion it would
De safe for the children TO deal with
said explo sives. provided however
that said dealings were conducted I'M
der the careful supervision of some
cautious person or persons OF mature
years and judgment Accordingly.
Uncle Gabriel and Grandma Wash ng-
ton and Mamma Gusts were duly con-
stituted a committee OF safety. and
under the prudent direction of these
three Master Gusts and little Mistress
Custis were soon disturbing the peace
and dignity of Mount Vernon with the
petulant popping OF certain explosives
called torpedoes and the more im7res-
sive donations OF other explosives
called Chinese crackers
This brisk cannonading. If we may
so term it served the purpose not
only OF delighting the children. but
also of recalling TO the gentlemen
seated upon the verauda overlooking
the lawn the tragic scenes of the late
war and many an interesting incl
dent and anecdote thereof was passed
by Col Page Culpepper and DR.. Pres
ton and Gen. Washington himself-a
OF which good Parson
Weems awaited himself industriously.
for had you looked in upon the group
then you would have seen the parson
copious notes.
The chat was progressing briskly
and the canOn?1ing more briskly still.
when. 10 and behold all of sudden.
around the corner OF the mansion and
up the gravel path swept the full pack
Of Gen. Washington famous hounds.
Sweetlips was leading; close behind
him followed Dewdrop and behind
Dewdrop came the others maybe a
dozen altogether all bowling dolor
ously and all intent evidently upon
seeking escape from some threatening
evil So you see it did not take
hundred years for the dog to find out
that torpedoes and firecrackers wore
things; instinctively the
dog dislikcs these treacherous ma
chimes. and we could prove it too. if
Gen. Washington's pack of famous
hounds were on earth to- day and
could speak.
They waited upon no ceremony; no
these dozen or fourteen famous hounds
swept up the gravel pathway and into
the mansion and up the stairs and
the first open door into the
very front spare chamber where
with drawn curtains and pallid visage
Miss Praiseworthy Washington had
taken refuge, for she. too had feared (
and hated goises of every kind. and
such noises rs suggested .
firearms and catastrophe and blood .
she'd Miss Praiseworthy gave 4
staccato scream and sunk into a
chair She loved cats. and therefore
she disliked dogs; but bless her! the .
Il