Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-20

e Elisha was eyerywhere. and he bad narcr


Elisha was everywhere, and he had never
before SCENIC! so jolly aud soeable He
appeared to be enjoying everything like a
boy, and the1people who had known him
as u rather quiet, reserved and stern man
We're astonished at his manner
At length tile time for the DISPLAY Of
fireworks arrived, and the visitors assem-
hied at the back Of the. house, where they
could sit'on a grassy slope and enjoy the
spectacle. The boys had carried the box OF
fireworks down near the hoodoo well,
where everything had been prepared for
sending them OF.
The first rocket sailed into the air with
graceful curve, a cheer breaking from
the lips Of the spectators as 1t burst and
sent forth many colorcd balls that fioated
nightly away and finally faded. Then
Elisha, who had slipped away few mo-
Hieuts before, came back and sat down
just IN time 10 be ON hand when the an
wills, which he had loaded with an extra
heavy charge, gave Il roar that shook the
ground and broke "a dozen panes Of glass in
the windows Of the house
"Hurrahl" cried the old farmer. In
genuine delight rs he heard the jingle Of
the glass q. it ratified from his windows.
accompanied by little screams Of terror
from the women and girls In the party
"hurrah for the Fourth OF Julyl"
Up into tho. sky Kissed another rocket
and yet another, and then No one could
tell how Ii came about, but a freshly light
cd pinwheel few from its pivot and went
Sizing and spluttering right into the we'll
The next instant column OF fro shot up
ward from the mouth OF the well with a
rushing sound and the invited spectators
clapped their hands with delight, for they
fancied Elisha had prepared an amazing
and novel surprise for them.
The farmer himself, however, sat staring
ut this unexpected display in utter bewil-
derment, and he did not arouse himself
until one OF. his boys, who came running up
from the field, shook him by the shoulder,
srying:
Father, father, the wells afrsp'
"Well, what makes her burnf' heasked
smazedly. 1.-THE old thing smdled bad
enough to bNn, butt
Stone broke In a neighbox "that
looks to me like burning jet offAatural
gas II so, your fortuneis madz Your
celebration has proved fortunats one
and your heodoo we'll good as. a gold
mine"
In tho midst of the excitement Jscpthln
Bunker appeared and presented hiIi16sif be-
fore Elisha, snying: IS
"Mr Stone, have the pleasure;of In
forming yout that Noah jackson bnS been
arrested and IS on his way here III custody
of'a detectives II you do not recdvtx4sour
money, you will see hing properly pun
lshed S.fs .i-
embarrassed, sBs a dsssaavoY
Who sent a detective artff himf"
~ did. sir. l was d1sSrmined 6snlear
myself of any suspicion In this .paatter.
Hers Is the dispatch received from saay de
tective notifying mo he has secured my
man" And the message was placed in
Elisha's unsteady fingers. When he had
read 1t by tho light OF the burning well, he
mustered rather dazcdAf.
swell, this has certain been the greatest
Fourth Of July ever saw in all my born
daysl''
The "hoodoo well' did prove a gold
mine. 1t was plugged to extinguish the 4
fire, and then syndicate came along and /
bought the Stone farm for fabulous sum, /
after which they proceeded to bore other
wells and conduct the gas to town
Noah jackson was tried and convicted +
which removed the last vestige OF sus-
picion against Bunker from the mind of |
Elisha, who acknowledged his mistake /
and gave the consent asked for to the mar
riage Of Dick and Lizzie.
To this day nothing gives Elisha greater /
delight than to sit with a we'll filled Pipe (
and relate the story OF that wonderful
Fourth. He has told 1t thousand times,
but he is just as ready to repeat Ii today as
he was on the second occasion.
GILBERT PATTEN. +