The record-union., 1897-07-05
BESELENA'S PRATTLE.

The glorious Fourth is once more upon
us and the heart of the small boy re-
joiceth exceedingly The small boy is
the head and shoulders of our patriot
ISM but it is patriotism with an attach
ment of noice and smoke. Take from
our American youth his annual fire
works and noise and you have before
you a very melancholy specimen OF
young America, indeed, who doesn't care
a rap whether the great American eagle
screams or not. There is in the heart of
every boy an Unborn love of the smell of
burning powder and the sharp hiss of
the demoniac fire cracker. Had he his
own particular way he would make
everyone of the 365 days of the year
one continuous celebration. In his heart
of hearts he feels that he is being sup,
pressed, but on the Fourth he for once
in his life feels his Importance as an en-
breyo American citizen and takes ad-
vantage of it accordingly. From early
rncrn until late at night, the sharp crack
of the fire cracker the deep boom of the
bomb, the report of toy revolvers and
Va rious and sundry other noise produc-
ing instruments of torture to ones
nerves attest to the fact that the be-
aforementioned small boy is taking ad
vantage of his opportunity.
/ know of only one form of firework
that the American youth despises and
that is the innocent looking torpedo in
its modest pink or white paper covering.
The torpedo doesn't make noise enough
and therefore doesn't commend itself to
his racket loving little soul. This form
of firework he relegates to girls, and the
amount of scorn he can put in that one
word would do credit to a tragedy actor,
and boys who are yet in the embryonic
stage of long curls and kilt skirts But
on the whole the small boy is patriotic
little animal if given ammunition
enough, and will no doubt some day be-
come President, or hold diplomatic po
sition, because every boys chances are
just about even in this great country Of
ours.
Personally / would ask nothing better
on our national holiday than to HE me
to some secluded spot where the pop of
the festive cracker would not disturb
the sylvan solitude, and there, if I felt
in particularly patriotic mood, 1 would
read the lives of our revolutionary he
rces, or some other equally patriotic
work. However, l wouldn't promise to
indulge in that style of literature more
than once year. / believe that it is
good thing to brush up ones waning
patriotism once in while but it
wouldn't do for a steady diet Patriot
ism. like our best gowns, needs to be
taken out and aired occasionally for fear
the moths of forgetfulness will get into
the fine fabric and spoil it, and my
friends, there is such a thing as the
spelling of even as good a thing as pat
riotism. / think it a good thing to be
imbued with a Fourth of July feeling,
but / thank a kind fate that the cele-
brating of it, as demonstrated by young
America, comes but once year, for it
takes all the other days of the year to
restore my nervous system to anything
like it's normal condition
Whenever / think of sylvan retreats
and shady hooks by the babbling brooks
my mind wanders to the summer girl;
that dear creature who yearly dazzles
the eyes of the eight-dollar week
the seaside, and for once in their hard
worked lives are real gentlemen of leis-
ure, away from the distressing sound
of "cash" in their ears from morning un-
til night For fourteen blissful days
they are at peace and happy The sum-
rler girl goes forth with conquest
stamped all over her; from the top of