The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-06
THE FOURTH.

THE FOURTH.
It's eloriss Fading Before the Advance o.
Progress.
Like all memories attendant upon
the active existence of our fore
fathers the Glorious Fourth is grad
ually passing from the stage of life.
1t is sad commentary upon the patri-
otism of the youth of America, yet it is
a fact. The wild enjoyment of shoot
ing off anvils, making bon fires,
blowing horns and welcoming the
rising sun with wild clang OF bells,
has been relegated. The pleasure that
the youth now reads of, that his
father INDUCED in on that memorable
day, is no more. You ask the reason
why? 1t is easily answered. The re-
strictions thrown round the youth of
the present day by the arm of
the law has served to drown
what patriotism was in him
before it has an opportunity to thrive.
The officers of the law for the past
five or six years have been authorized
to promptly squelch any enthusiast in
his patriotic display of fireworks and
Fourth of July Comancheism The
result has been that the boy has
moped around all day and the once
glorious Fourth has sunk like an ex-
hilation in the evening to rise no
more. rad truth. Why should it be
thus? Why should this great day be
made one of quietness and funeral.like
stiffness? Why is not the youth per-
mitted to give tree reins to his impul.
sive 9Tdol and go to whOoping through
the liyelong day, poppins squibs and
playing all manner OF pranks? Is
not the day the greatest in the history
of the world? Why then
not let business rest aud
cease its Constant grinding for
at least one day in the year and let
the enthusiast have full rein? What
matter 1t if boys do get hurt and have
to lay up for a weeks repairs. The
Fourth doesn't come but once year
and nowhere is the boy who would
not suffer weeks pain for long
day of jolly fun Taking the past few
years as criterion the prediction can
be safely made that within the next
decade the glorious Fourth will be
glorious no longer. Even in the North
the very garden spot of its former
glory it is gradually dying away: In
the South it has been virtually dead
for several years. Occasionally a
crowd Of enthusiasts try to rally
around the fire of patriotism and rake
up the smouldering embers into a
bright flame that might recall The
glories of former days. Their efforts
&c eral though meet with small favor
and the embers are growing colder
with each succeeding year. Like the
celebration'Of Washington's birthday,
the observance of Bunker Hill and
coming n ar home the observance of
Texas great day of sian Jacinto, the
glorious Fourth is passing into the
shades OF the past. Sad is the fact
that these great days should be set
aside by the over busy world, AS
the isles of time the knell that rings
out their doom is quickly changed to
the clang of progress and
prosperity but pity tits that the joyful
chimes browns the sad notes CT the
knell and hides from the world the
fact that it is loosing one of its bright
est treasures in permitting the death
of these great days.
IN AUSTIN.
Yeste day Tie day was more like q
Sunday than anything else. A few Of
the stores closed and those that re-
NAMED opened looked like they re-
GREETED living. The streets were de-
serted aud quiet, and throughout thu
day there was not a single demonstra
ton. Along about 10 o'clock last night
he occasional explosion of a few fire
crackers in different portions OF the
: city spoke the presence of one or two
) ardent lovers of the day. Their en-
thusiasm ran out though in brie
time and the city resumed its tolmel
quiet aspect, There were several pic
mic parties out at the dam during thu
cay and the Emancipation day com
mittee had rally in the eastern par
of the city of the colOred people, bu
that was all, At night a bis
crowd of people sought the coo
breezes of the lake and thu
, steamers up there did big business
The big Ben Hur took an immense
crowd up opposite Bull creek, where
they had display OF water fireworks
The other steamers also did bis
night business. Walsh's garden, 10
Gated at the dam, had announced ;
special Fourth attraction in the way
of amusements and good crowd wa
in attendance, Outside of last night
pleasures the day was dull and un
: interesting and was pronounced b.
all as being the quietest Fourth eve
4 spent in the Capital city.
5 Ate Poisoned Watermelons and Died.
i Special to The Statesman.