The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-04

No Meteor, But a Jug of CON-
mon Black Powder.
CHARIVARl PARTYS WORK
Meant for a Joke on Mr. and
Mrs. Smith.

That stupendous rumble and detonatinS
/ crash which aroused the town and f-leC
the susceptible human heart with awe las
Wednesday night was not celestial. II was
the explosion Of no Jove-plunged missile
through unsurveyed cons OF ether. II was
4 two-gallon jug of common black powder
and was part Of a charivari entertainment
that evening in the western section Of ihS
city.
The explosion was duly planned but
some Of the conspirators were a ht'le ol'
TOO enthusiastic and when the explosion
came il was so much greater than they
supposed. il could be, and caused 50 much
talk over town that all those engaged in
touching the bomb of kept their own couh-
sci. Time. however, wore off their clscre-
ton and yesterday, for the first time sew
era, parents on the West Side heard the
first plausible explanation OF the defeanlng
regeneration, and in several instances
from the children themselves who had part
in it.
John Smith. Jr.. and Miss Dominicl were
married last week 10 the keen JOY appar-
entity of number Of Smiths friends. The
young bride and groom, after the usual
solemn rites, repaired to their new home,
az the corner Of Meridian and Central,
West Side.
This was all duly followed by a party
of conspirators. who grew into quite a
small army by magic. to give MIR. and
Mrs. Smith, Jr., a serenade-
A number of old washpans, dippers, tin
horns and other instruments. invented 10
cause anguish and sickness Of heart. were
collected and a crowd OF about seventy
five started in military order and with
great determination for the home OF Mr..
and Mrs. Smith, Jr. Just at what point
someone appeared with the jug is not
known, but someone did appear and with
a two-gallon jug. said by some 10 be al
most full. by others to have contained
three quarts of black powder. This new
conspirator. whose name is held sacred by
the crowd. proposed that as a grand intro
duction TO the evenings entertainment the
jug so loaded. be buried in the ground
and fred off.
The plan was at once adopted. and sew
enty-fve feet from Mr. Smiths house
hole was silently made and the jug set in
it ana the earth tamped down about it,
A fuse was arranged. and while the sew
enty-fve chariyari experts fed through the
darkness. the conspirator touched a match
to the fuse and fled. After some moments
breathless anticipation. the crowd re,axed.
There was no explosion. Some said that
the fuse had gone out. but no one voiun-
teered TO so and determine whether it was
out or not After a half hours wait. some
one. especially daring, went up and piled
leaves all over the top of the jug and then
backed out to the edge of the pile OF leaves
and applied a match. The explosion came
soon after 1t was tremendous and, as IS
known. aroused the town. II was more
than the serenaders expected. The ma
jority of them fed for home and went 10
bed not knowing whether Smith. bride and
all had been blown 10 smIthereens. and
they party to a criminal act. However.
a few serenaders remained and beat their
tin cans. To their intense disgust. Smith
Jr.. and bride paid no attention to the
racket outside not even coming 10 the door
TO the door 10 sec about tho explosion.
Some OF the boys say il rained jug for
ten minutes The hoe made in the ground
by the explosion is not large.