Omaha daily bee., 1897-07-04

few rqnotos aud added thclr human froigat
10 Ia" buaIiuR crowds Farmers from the
surrounding country with their families
loaded on OK carts and farm wnRpuE drpgr
Into the public suuar" aud brCan" part Of
Tho multitude At o'clock came the parade
OF "fantns'tra' -mon md boys dressed ia the
most ErOtcEuu" costumes imaginable and
mounted on ancient uagE or dtawn In carts
thar had been decorated" for the OccGGipn.
At 10 o'clock the great civic and military
parade marched through the atrrctg to the
music OF innumorablc bandg. There were
IRE companies in red shIita and black helmet
hats drawing tn" hand snglnsg yr ma
chimes" as they were called. There were
companies Of Maspns and Odd Fellows in
their rcgalias; platoons Of policemen In uni
form, squads Of cavalry with sabcrE cank,ng
at their sides regiments Of soldiers Win tn"
guns they had carried in the field. wagons
loaded with girls in white representing al
tn" states Of the union, floats upon which
were represented scenes in the pioneer days
OF the republic, ana carriages containing the
city officials and distinguished sunsts. Thou
sands of people crowded the sidewalk ana
buildings on either eide of the route Of pa
radc ana added their ghOuts TO the nO!ae Of
exploding gunpowdcr. When the procession
reached the park literary exercises consist
ing Of the reading OF the Declaration Of indie
pendence, an Grafton by the local congress-
man, an original poem by budding genius
ana the singing Of AmeTca.swere held.
SOME OLD TINE ATTRACTIONS.
When It was all over, the military and
, fire companies were fed at the expense OF
the city in ii huge tent that had been erected
on the common for that purpose while the
citizens patronizcd the booths that had been
erected around the park In New England,
baked beans and brown bread were the chief
articles Of diet on that day.
The afternoon wac devoted to competitive
hot ha fire mil Ir4
races on the river. to chasing a creased pig
and climbing a creased pole on the common
and finally a balloon ascension in the park.
II the evening a grand display of fireworks
and band concert wound up the days fes-
ttvities. Long before night came every boy
had spent all the money he had saved for
month from the sale of old bones, iron bot
ties and junk, and had made a requisitiOn on
the paternal pocket book. The quantities Of
ice cream, lemonade and peanuts he had al
ready consumed did not satisfy him or make
him sick. Although he had burned more
gunpcwder probably than he had ever eX-
plodcd in all his life, he was not cOnteuted.
With the new supply of money he bought
more fire crackers and more peanuts and
when the last rocket had darted skyward and
the last piuwheel had ceased to siss he made
his way homeward the tiredest and happiest
boy in town.
Such was the celebration OF the Fourth
of July thirty years ago The celebration Of
because its significance seems to have been
lest sight of in the rush and whirl Of life
in this year Of 1897 And yet, the boys Of
today spend much money. If not more.
han those of g. There are few parades
and little oratory. Grown-up folks consider
parades tedious, orations hsckneyed and uR-
Interesting and displays Of fireworks a use
less expenditure of public money.
And yet all Of these are exceedingly at
tractye to the children to whom they are
novelties. What boy is there who doesn't
like to hear the guns thunder, the bells peal
and watch the soldiers as they march
proudly by? The lessons the day should
be taught afresh every year In these days
when peace reigns over the republic We need
a holiday like this TO cali to our minds the
debt which we owe our fathers and fore
fathers for giving us liberty Let the gun
powder burn, let the drums beat and let the
orators pouI out their eloquencc. Let the
children be told Of the heroes OF the rebel
lion Let them gaze with reverence on the
flags which inspired the troops To press on TO
victory amid storms OF shot and shell, They
viii be made better by such experiences and
when hey come TO man : Cs'ate they Viii more
fully understand what patriotism really
means.