Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-07-03
ON THE FOURTH.
Love, Romance and Why He Was Never
Married.

Love, ana why He was never
Married.
Jack sat on the piazza smoking a cigar.
1 Joined him. A parcel of mothers were
gathered together In the front yard watch.
ing their respective kids, five of whom
belonged to Jack. They were making a
perfect racket. Pinwheels swished against
the blackened gateposts, powder crackers
spit and snapped, skyrockets banged
through the air, and the youngsters
squealcd with delight Now and then a
frightened "Oh" from one Of the mothers
could be heard above the din.
"What are you laughing at Peter" said
Jack as l threw my head back and gave
vent to the most uproarious laughter.
"Well, to tea the truth" said to my
innocent companion, II was thinking of a
Fourth of July experience once had with
an auburn haired girl" and l again
laughed.
Fire away" said Jack very appropri-
ately.
"Well, you see," answered I, "a new
girl came to visit my cousin Jane. was
completely gone in half an hour after the
introduction. / invited her to go sailing
on the night Of the glorious Fourth. A
fine lunch slowed away in the bow of the
boat. Roman candles and skyrockets lay
cuddled together in the stern, and powder
crackers by the package were there. That
evening arrived. Opposite me in the
stanch Clarissa sat the witching girl. Her
eyes were bright, her cheeks pink, and her
intoxicating auburn bang would have
knocked an artist dead on the spot After
an hour or so Of small talk verging awful
ly near the will you be mine period
thought I would frighten her just little
bit, so that might console and pet her
afterward, SO i set off frecracker under
the seat on which she was sitting. Glori-
ana Johnsonl With n noise like rebel
yell she shot up two feet in the air, bias
like, and dropped into the water with o
thud that denationalized my soul. She
arose to the surface. l made dive for her
and just reached her hair. clutched it,
and the struggling owner dropped again
to the bottom, leaving the wig in my
hand. soon again observed an object
shining in the moonlight, and grabbed
her just in time. hauled her into the
boat and gave her my handkerchief with
which to mop her face She clapped it on
her head in u jiffy and tied it under her
chin. then Tipped the wig toward her.
1t landed on the overturned lunchbox.
such mess! Divorced slices OF bread and
ham lay strown in the bottom of the much
bedraggled Clarissa. Cookies swollen to
twice their normal size decorated the sides
of the sarsaparilla bottles. The edam
cheese that pridcd myself on rolled hither
and thither among the other stuff like
something dementod. Not word was
spoken between us. Mutually shocked, we
sat like mummies. 1 landed her at the
boathouse, and as she stepped upon the
boards she turned and said, For heavens
sake, Mr.. Waterman, if you have any char
ity in your heart, any honor in your soul,
swear that you will never divulge what
has happened this evening" She looked
SO drizzly, faded out and woebegone
promised faithfully never to speak Of it to
ahuman soul, and of course 1 never have" T"
Jack looked at me curiously for a mo-
ment, then he said
"My, my, that's the reason, then, you'd
never get marriedH