Smyrna times., 1897-07-14
COMMUNICATED
lCohMUNIcATED.l
Echoes from Our Fourth of July CeIe.
bratiOn.

1t has come: it has gone: but we
still hear the sound and see the form
thereof. 1t fingers in our eyes and
ears. The gay bicyclers, with bunt-
ing-bedecked wheels, are riding by:
the war-wOrn veterans with steady
step are marching on. Our pet and
proud Hose Company in white, looking
bright and spank fresh, are receiving
the hurrahs of the young and the fair.
The secret orders and the Benevolent
societies are moving to the sweet
strains of music and the embryo in
dustrial display surprises and delights
the eye. And here is an echo: ''It was
good, but how much the Industrial
might have been!" Smyrna can do it.
She can make big show with all her
Industries on the next Fourth. Let
them appear.
The procession has passed, the notes
OF the brass band have died away with
another echo: Smyrna can have two
brass bands" We are now at the
public school campus; and the soul
stirring words of the Declaration of
Independence, read so effectively by
Professor G. H. LeFevre, are calling
us to patriotic purpose and effort.
And again we are there before the
orators of the day. Their lesson of
patriotism will not soon be forgotten.
How the humOr of Stengle sparkled.
How the tribute to the common school
as the palladium of our liberty. of
Nicholson, awakened us to its protec-
ton and defence. How the WARNINGS
against our national perils of DIR.
Worrall aroused us to sober reflection.
and how the Oratory of Medford H.
Cahoon wrought us up to a pitch of
enthusiastic patriotism, and. here Is
anothe echo: cit was the best Fourtb
OF July Grafton 1 ever heard" Whv
was 1t so? First, it was shot tight
straight from the heart: it was the
propulsion of honest conviction: if was
the PINK flower of the patriotic soul:
1t was delivered in the loud, clear voice
OF an orator and with the JUNCTION Of an
enthusiast. And then the thoughts
and the sentiments, so noble and select.
and uplifting to the highest plane of
patriotism; and the plan of the ora
ton-so novel and so attractive. It
was the persOnificatiOn of the ideal
patriot IN the old Liberty Bell. Ring
out old bell at the Declaration, and
the echo is: "YOu are ringing to-day. -
We were carried back and placed
among our fOrefathers at Independ-
ence Hall in Philadelphia. We could
almost see the signers of the immortal
document, as they affixed their sigma
lures to their death warrant, If failure
attended the Revolution. The deed is
done. Out rings the old bell. ''Pro-
claim liberty throughout the land. "
The king is dethroned, the people are
free. We hear the message and min
Cling in that 1776 crowd around the
old building, we shout with them for
Joy over the birth of the nation-''The
land of the free and the home of the
brave"
Once more we are carried to the
struggle of our country with her faith
less mother on the high seas, in 1912,
till victory perches on our banners
and we have again achieved independ-
ence and freedom. Ring out old bell,
the king is dethrOned, the people are
free. And we heard the bell.
Again, in times rapid flight we are
brought to face the internal strife
OF Civil War, when the life OF
Old Glory was sOnght, but sought in
vain, till the sunshine of victory and
of perfect union of the States en-
blazOned our Stars and Stripes with
an efulgence of worldwide splendol
and glory. Ring out old bell. The
king of civil strife is dethroned, the
people are free, united and happy
The echo is heard: ''We hear the old
bell; thou art dear to our hearts,
And then how did our hearts swell, al
Cahoon turned to the veterans of oul
Army Post with "God bless you.
am glad you are here. can take of
: my hat in honor to you, every day, a'
the saviors of our country" And the
echo: "Saviours of our country.
Oh! the courage and patriotism of oul
soldiers! How they fought-not a,
the little, yellow, terrier dog, but al
the monarch of the forest--as tn,
tawny lion. Thus did Cahoon pictur,
the scenes of our country; it's throe'
and triumphs and hold his audience il
the spell of admiration.
And can we forget our colored breth
ren, what they did and how they
, looked on this glorious Fourth? ARE
there no echoes from their parade
On they come in soldid phalanx o
Odd Fellowship with regalia resplend
3 ent, and marching to the stirring
{ strains of their own band. PROUD
they were to put in evidence their ap
probation of their American citizen
) ship and to attest their patriotism anC
fealty to the Old Flag. The echt
was: GLOW well they look and march.
, They were in harmony with the da,
and its lesson of patriotic duty. VIII,
/ could doubt that, at their country
call, if foreign invaders should assai
| their flag, they would rally around
, and offer their lives if need be, in tn,
t cause of the Republic. The echo
? eyes, they would come from the hill
J and the valleys and join the ranks O
/ the defenders of our soil and freedom.
CIrTzENr