The herald., 1896-07-04

eye fastened on the presidential cam
paign, which is really source of greater
profit to him than the patriotic holiday.
On the Fourth of July the small boy is
the most prominent customer, and he
goes in for quantity in preference to
quality, spending his money for an end
less variety of cheap things on which
the margin of profit is proportionately
small But the campaign boomer. with
his large ante-election ideas. buys the
most expensive kind of fireworks. He,
of course, is spending other folks money,
whereas the small boy is handing out
the coin which is distinctly his own. This
makes all the difference in the world in
the purchase of everything, as we'll as
fireworks.
The particular pride of all well-in-
formed and up to-date fireworks men
this year are the skyrockets. One of the
heavy men in the business solemnly in
formed the writer that the improvements
this year were on stupendous scale;
that the Fourth of July of 1896 would be
q memorable date to all ages because of
the magnificence of the skyrockets
which will be shot into the heavens.
Picking up bunch which was labeled
Peacock Plume Rockets" he became
terribly eloquent and gave vent to this
thrilling eulogy: Rising like an Eiffel
tower of fire to an immense height with
a grand explosion they form gorgeous
veil of feathery plumes, reaching nearly
to the ground, embelished with topaz
and emerald comets, INTERVENING III
their flight presenting beautiful figures
and combina tons of colors, ending with
salutes."
In the less fragrant rhetoric of the
clerks these rockets are known as s.
Founders and they sell at wholesale at
S105 per Dozen 1t is quite certain that
number of small boys will worry along
through the Fourth without an "Eiife'
tower of fire" etc, as the cost per tower
is very close to 50.
DARLINGS OF HIS HEART
These thoughts evidently did not oc-
cur to the firewarks man. He went
bravely along until he came to package
marked Prize Cometic Rockets These
were clearly the darlings of his heart.
Thrusting his thumbs into his vest
pockets he recited the following, with
such telling effect that it seemed as If he
must have sat up nights studying it:
"These rockets ascend to a great height,
and discharge a single star of large size
and brilliancy, which changes color sew
eral times while floating slowly away,
then suddenly resolves itself into q re-
volving wheel of brilliant fire and other
beautiful effects, ending with burst OF
tinted meteors."
For the benefit of those who may be
fascinated by the rich Woru picture
painted by the fire works man and as
pire to the ownership of some Of these
cometic rockets it is stated that the fatal
label in the package bore this inscrip-
ton, "S-pounders. S105 per dozen"
The new style in rockets, and most OF
them at about the same price, We're re
ferred to by the dealer with bewilderine
rapidity in this wise: "Colored shoot
ing star rockets On reaching the pro
per height the rockets release severa
showers of golden scntillations, from
which many shooting stars of all colors
of the rainbow are continuously dis
charging in every direction, producing
a novel and beautiful effect.
"These golden cloud rockets display an
immense liquid fire cloud, resembling