The evening times., 1897-07-05
WASHINGTON MAKEsMERRY
Patriotism Finds Vent in Fire
works, Bunting and Picnics.
AIR RESONANT WITH NOISES
Everybody In Holiday HumOr and
Moving Somewhere in Spite of the
Heat-"Old Glory" in Evidence
on the Mansions of the Rich and
the Cottages of the Poor.

tne SOttuReS VI tH0
The 21st anniversary Of the Declaration
of Independence of the United states of
America is being celebrated by tons Of
gunpowder, miles OF bunting and the merry
making of the populace.
The British embassy is dark and silent.
NO one seems to live there. The green
sIat shutters are closed, and no flag flies
there. The lawn and shrubbery are sun
burned and dusty, and the granite stairs
are Uttered with dead leaves and stray
paper All around this dark and silent
building saltpeter siZzles by the ton, anu
volley by the million.
Washington is taking q vacation. 1t Is
like two sundays coming to.~<her. The
railroad and steamboat officials estimate
tfat one-sixth Of the population Of the city
is somewhere else. The exodus began
Saturday. Lecane epidemic Sunday, and
reached the climax yesterday morning.
While the day was young the River view
and Marshall Hall piers were bright with
color, loud with music and animated with
shifting, buzzing. laughing, chattering
crowds. Colonial Beach drew it's quota or
patrons All the river craft wore their
flags and blew their whistles and changed
their bella White-winged yachts made
snow-nke patches here and there, and
putting tugs and bustling launches put
their touches on the holiday picture.
The railroad stations were tbronged with
people OF all conditions and most colors-
Little Americans, lunch baskets, tow-linen
trousers and crash skirts were the fcature
Of the throng. These people were bound
for Harper's Ferry, Pen Mar, Falls Church,
Warrrnton, Laurel and all surrounding
points. Many went tup TO the mountains OF
Maryland and Pennsylvania; many went
downinto the greatplain ofeastern Virginia,
the Piedmont region and the Valley OF
the Shenandoah, and many went down
into the peninsula OF the western shore OF
Maryland.
But the steamboats, and the steam cars
did not carry all the people. The electric
cars had their fill. The Valley Of Rock
Greek and the country round about, and the
rocky, wooded country up the Conduitroad
sounded and resounded with patriotic ex-
plosons and the lusty shouts of the cele-
brants.
Tie parks and streets of the city flowed
with human tide. The sun came out OF
the east with sweat in his eye, and As lie
rose higher and higher In the clear heavens
his brightness made all the colors OF the
city seem to flash. The barber poles
looked radiant and the soda signs allur-
ing. The Avenue and Ninth street cars
never looked SO green and the and Four
teenth streets electrics simply looked
like FURNISHED gold. The parks and flow-
cr-planted reser vations wore summer hues
There was one sound that seemed TO
make a little discord In the chorus Uf
merican bombs, torpedoes and firecrack-
ers. It was the ever-present chirp OF the
English sparrow He made merry in the
cutters. on the cornices OF tail buildings
and in tie trees, as though he had become
a Datbralized American bird and enjoyed
the proceedings.
The decorate OF the city were much
the same as they were on Flag Day.
Bunting floated in the Iowly alleys I'd the
aristocratlc avenues, though American
colors blazed more conspicuously in the
poor than in the rich quarters Of the city.
brownstone house ON l. street IL was a
prosper rOus-looking house. Potted ferns
grew in the windows and on the doorstep.
BY the side of this house is a very humble
little frame. Its lines are out OF plumb,
it needs paint, and the roof looks ieaky.
A little cluster Of hollyhUcks grow in the
front yard But an American flag bIazed
out OF 4 window IN that house, too. On
Twenty-fcurth street, Just across from the
Weather bureau there is d dilapidated
little brick peTched on a high clay bank.
But il was festive with American flags
\ flag flew from the staff on the Army
and Navy Club, but there was no bunting
displayed at the Metropolitan Club
Trucks C and b had their quarters deco
rated and most of the engine houses and
police stations were dressed in red, white
and blue. All the public school houses in
the District carried their flags aloft.
There were flags on the street cars, flags
on drays. flags on cabs, flags on market
wagons, flags on family carriages, flags on
horses, flags everywhere.
Another striking holiday feature was
that people on the streets walked with an
aimless air, swung their canes in don't
care sor; of way and smoked in leisurely
manner. No one seemed TO trouble about
any thing; noone seemed to have an nythingin
particular to do; every body seemed bent on
taking the world easy.
There were some patriotic costumes out
Several children were dressed in red W hite
and blue, aud many Of them carried tiny
flags During the early part of the day
great number of uniforms were in evi-
deuce.
In some quarters OF the city the streets
are re with the remains OF bursted
crackers