New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-18

YANKEE FENUJI H.
Fast Day has been abolished in III" nobi' Ola
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. ana br'hu
new Yankee festival has been substituted Tor H.
who, rho LEGISLATORS were discussing this social
reform Concord and Lexington put IN cohhc'-
ing claims for exclusive jurisdiction over inc
now holiday. but the Governor 81 me H''u'
effected a compromise by suggesting 'lH' w"
loth of April should be- celebrated aS fa'rl''
poy The generalization was broad enough !"
include the firing Of the 9th MASSACHUSETTS,
unon the baltimore mob. which occurred on mat
day: but this coincidence Is not rr"aru'' ~
significant in Boston The day is 10 be c'I'~
brated this year ~ an oldfashioned Dun anu
blue Yankee holiday. and the preparations Ill
ready making are both animated ana r'aliSuc'
pan, Rcycrc's ride is 10 be- reproduced with
picturesque effect. If not with hiSt'rlc'i "''"-
rao, .roricht thc lanterns will fash from the
steculc Of old Christ Church, and several VaIla-
films not ON the original programme Will De
introduced TIN, chime Of bells around when
Scxton Newman crcpt on his way 10 the top
most window will be- peacd by the old colony
cuild of cll-Rlngcrs and there VIII u" al
Ircsscs by Governor orccnhnlgc. Thomas Went
worth Uigsnson and others After America
has been sung by u select audience admitted
hv tIckct the sexton of the church. accompanied
by Paul Revere. a great great grandson oi me
old patrlot will mount the stairs WIN TWO "l"
lanterns and swing them from Inc highest loon
ont Mr. Revere pleads his incXpenence rs
horseman rs an excuse for not riding 10 LEX
iucion m hrcalncck speed. but he VIII iAh' III
early train the next morning. \ patron HIS
been discovered. however. who Will 20 over
norton II the ground in the saddle. starting
not from Charlcstown but from The ouiSAriS
~ Midway He will be- attircd IN 'ontlh'h'AI
costume. and will carry the alarm 10 the ola
Kovall House and thence 10 Lexington DOH
fire. will be- kndcd 10 arouse Noburn; thcr'
will be- fireworks N the Midway tlub; a salute
of twenty onc guns Will be- fired 10y deiach-
mcnt Of a naval brigade; companies 81 minute
men will assemble: along the route 10 cooper
Tavern. Arlington. there will be Grhcral
illumination Of houses; and with relays "t
horses the gallant rider will dash on To IeNihH'
ton where young lady will enact the part OF
Dorothy Quincy and the presence Of an Adams
and Hancock * promised
From this inadequate summary IT VIII be per
ccivcd that the full blooded Yankees OF Boston
Concord and Lexington intend 10 SIT mp all
night and to paint the historical environment
from Christ Church 10 the old Hancock House
n vivid scarlet i'm order 10 celebrate me follow
ing day with appropriate fervor. when faul
Rcvcrcs ride has been rchearscd by night the
serious work Of military paradcs. schoolchi-
drcn's PROFESSIONS bicycle reviews. comm'mo-
ratlvc oratory and public banquetS Will be I'M
dertakcn with dignity and decorum. me Ola
saving that Americans take their pleasures
sadly" applies with special force 10 their hoi-
day rccrcations. which are invariably under
Va pln I'm
initiating the celebration Of their new holiday
are bound to get "A good deal of fun ont of IT, |
even If they have to stay up Il night in advance
and then are caught mapping over the eloquent
periods Of the orators Of the day. II the pro
grammcs published in Boston are carried out
in detail IT will be a wild night Of patriotic
masqucradcs and orgies for phnosophic Con |
cord and slaid Lexington.
The celebration promises, however. 10 be |
unique and picturesque. and it can hardly fail |
to promote patriotic feeling. The lanterns, the |
chimes. the midnight ride the mInute-men cvo
lutons. and all the other realism will help TO |
educate the younger generation in the best ira
dltons of American independence. Possibly IT |
would be prudent to amend the legislative act |
for the transformation of Fast Day by pro- |
hibitng historical Investigations by newspaper |
reporters and sccptical icOnocasts. Already |
the Boston papers are confusing the public |
mind by uncrical inquiries respecting the cir |
cIimstanccs Of Paul Reycrc's ride. and intimat |
ing that Christ Church was not the one from
which the lanterns were dsplaycd; that he did |
not await in Charlcstown the signal from the |
siceple but received the news In person from |
DR.. Warren. and engaged two friends 10 row |
him across the river ard even sent dog back |
To fetch his spurs The identity of Sexton New
man is also questioned. and both lights are cx-
inguishcd from the bclfry. while Paul Revere, |
instead Of standing by his horse and looking |
anxIously for the signal from distant Boston. Is |
slowed away in fishing-boat the river.
This Is not the proper spirit in which TO consc-
crate the new Yankee festival To the memories
Of The heroic past. Longfcow's poetry ought
To be good enough history for everybody in the
new Boston especially when II enables patriots
10 celebrate not only the day. but the night
before.
Brazilian rebellion has been made ridiculous II
not odious.