Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-06-30
FOURTHS LONG AGO.
NOISE WAS A FEATURE OF OLD TIME
CELEBRATIONS.

It Was Great Day For the Small Boy,
and He Enjoyed 1t to the Fullest Ex-
tent-Fun Began Before Daybrsak-Pa-
rade of Fantastics-other Attractions.
Grown up people don't make SO much
of the Fourth as they did just after the
close of the civil war The fathers and
mothers of those days had seen their SONS
go forth to battle in the pride of their
youth. They had read in the newspapers
how bravely they had fought, and when
the telegraph wires brought the heart
rending news that the lads had fallen
while fighting for their country they wept
silently and thanked God that they had
not died in vain. When tho shattered
armies dispersed to their northern homes
and Independence day came round again,
they realized that it had a new significance
to them. 1t was day upon which to cele-
brate all the victories of the war, the tri-
umph of the cause of freedom over slavery
and the re establishment of peace. No
wonder the sight of the tattered flags that
had been borne across many "a bloody field
of battle fired their hearts with patriotism
and led them to express their emotion by
the discharge of cannon on the village
green, by the ringing of the bells in the
steeples and by the illumination Of their
homes at night
The Fourth of July was then the great
est day of the whole year, and no expense
was spared to make it memorable. The
bands played, the veterans of the war
marched proudly through the streets and
the crowds cheered in honor of the occa-
sion And what of the boys of those daysa
They were little patriots, every one Of
them They had been thrilled by the
stories of the battles of Antietam, of Get
tysburg and the Wilderness, told at their
mothers knee They had listened with
bated breath to the orators in the public
square as they reoounted the valorOus
deeds of the soldiers on many field of
battle. They had learned Of the beroism
of some of the big boys whom they had
known at schools, who had run away from
home to become drummer boys and buglers
in the army. All these things conspired to
kindle within the youths breasts the
sacred fire of patriotism and moved them
to resolve to offer themselves to their coun-
try as soldiers when they should grow up.
They formed themselves into companies,
with captains, drummer boys and color
bearers and paraded the streets just like
the real veterans. Their guns were made
of wood, but they handled them as care
fully and withal as dexterously as the real
soldiers.
The Fourth of July was the day upon
which every boy felt that he had an in
alienable right to make all the noise he
could. Every firecraoker was to him a
scream of joy that the veterans bad tri-
umphed and every rocket that pierced the
sky dropping a trail of sparks behind ii
was a shrek of delight that the carnage Of
battle was ended. Thirty years ago nc
boy in town wanted to lie in bed after the
church clock had tolled the hour of !
o'clock on that morning. Creeping out Of
bed in the darkness, boys dressed hurried
ly and silently made their way to the
street. The stars were shining brightly
above their heads, and the air was BIZ
chilly. They were soon joined by groups
of other boys, and together proceeded tC
the homes of companions who had failed
to put in an appearance, and by throwing
stones at their windows or by pulling
strings that had been fastened to their toes
awoke them.
When the party was complete, they pro
ceeded through the deserted streets of thu
town firing guns and setting off bunobe!
of snap crackers to arouse the sleepers
Several of the boys carried horns which
they blew to their hearts content.
number of citizens who did not relish hav
ing their morning maps thus rudely dis
turhed stuck their heads out of their win
dows and said uncomplimentary things tt
them, but they only laughed and fired of
more crackers. Their teeth chartered will
excitement or cold, it is not certain which
but thoy did not mind it and kept up thu
merriment.
With the first peep of day the bells in ey
cry steeple began to peel out sunrise sa
lute while from the hilltop cannon
roared out hoarse accompaniment of ex
ploding powder.
By this time the city was awake, anC
the streets were soon filed with people
| Excursion trains from distant points ar
rived every few minutes and added theil
! human freight to the bustling crowds
Farmers from the surrounding country
| with their families loaded on OK carts ant
farm wagons drove into the public square
and became part of the multitude. At
O'Clock came the parade of fantasies =
men and boys dressed in the most gro
tesque costumes imaginable and mounted
on ancient nags or drawn in carts tha
had been decorated for the occasion.
| At 10 O'Clock the civic and military pa
rade marched through the streets to tb'
music of innumerable bands. There wert
| fire companies in red shirts and black he'll
met hats drawing the hand engines, o.
machines, as they were called. Thert
were companies of Masons and Odd Eel
lows in their regalias, platoons of police
men in uniform, squads of cavalry will
sabers clanking at their sides, regiments O
soldiers with the guns they had carried IL
| the field, wagons loaded with girls II
white representing all the states of th'
! Union, floats upon which were represent
! ed scenes in the pioneer days of the re
public, and carriages containing the city
officials and distinguished guests. Thou
sands of people crowded the sidewalks anS
buildings on either side of the route O
parade and added their shouts to the noist
of exploding gunpowder. When the pro
cession reached the park, literary exer
cises, consisting of the reading of the Dec
laration of independence, an Grafton By
tho local congressman, an original poem
by budding genius and the singing O
America, were held
When it was all over, the military anC
fire companies were fed at the expense o.
tho city in a huge tent that had been erect
| cd OH the common for that purpose, while
the citizens patronized the booths that haC
been greeted around the park In New
England baked beans and brown breac
wero the chief articles of diet on that day
| Atlanta Constitution.
AN 1909 CELEBRATION.