Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-06-28
What Happened.
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Fourth of July. l was not the boy.
!, - because CHANGED to be a girl: bnt
l know him very well, and he told me
about 1t yesterday.
He was called Dick, though it was not
his real name. He and his friend. Bob
Shannon, had EN- having glorious time
all day, on tt particular Fourth.
They began at 5 o'clock in the morning.
with fish horns and torpedoes, then at 6
O'clock came the Antiques and Horri-
bles," and the two boys followed tLem all
over town, miles and miles, till their feet
were sore, and their voices hoarse with
shouting. Such sight as the "Antiaues
and Horribles" used to be! remember
that myself, il was only girl
They were dressed in rags aud tatters,
with their masked faces grinning horribly
under ridiculous old hats. They blew huge
tin horns, hooted and yelled, and were
surrounded by crowd Of shrieking boys,
who tried TO out-hoot and out-yell them.
What delightful moment was that,
when, after my little heart had stood still
with fright at the near approach of an
awful monster, with negro's face and
billy goats horns, the face was suddenly
removed, and saw the smiling, ruddy
face of Sam Judkins, the grocers boy,
greeting me with the customary Hello,
SISSY"
As rule, it was an insult to be called
Sissy, and could not abide it; but at that
moment 1t was music in my ears.
Well, Bob Shannon and Dick followed
the "Horribles" to the end, and then they
went home and had breakfast. After that
they fired off crackers in the back yard,
with occasional concerts on the fish horn
till noon; and then they went and took
swim. Refreshed by the cool water, they
felt equal to anything, and gladly Joined
the party that was going to fire off the old
brass cannon in the vacant lot behind the
school house. This was truly martial
joy.
Dick, who was boy of lively magma
ton, felt like Napoleon before WATERLOO,
and Wellington and Grant before Rich
mond, all rolled into one, and forgot that
Alexander and Ieonidas, his favorite he
roes of antiquity. knew nothing about the
joys of gunpowder, and had never heard
the crack" "bangw the sharp squirt of
the match and the soft "f-z-z-zw of the
powder which make boys hearts leap to-
day.
By-and-by the old cannon broke, as ev-
eryone supposed it would, and strange to
say, no one was hurt.
Its all nonsense" said Dick, about
boys getting hurt so much on the Fourth
of July. That is, of course boys do get
burt, but it's only the stupid fellows who
don't know beans A fellow who knows
what he's about has no need to get hurt
''Come along, Bob. and let's fire off this
powder that's left"
OF course, that would be great fun, and
make fitting link Of delight between the
day and the browning Joy of the evening
fireworks. Where should they go to fire
the powder? Why, the fiat gravel roof on
the ell of Dicks house would be the very
place-of course it would
Come along"
1t was nice and hot. on the roof in the
afternoon sun; the boys liked it hot. Care
fully they poured the remaining powder
out of the horn, making n pleasant little
heap beside the stout chimney, which was
to be their bulwark and place of defense.
Then they laid the trail, very scientific
ally, round the chimney, and then they
stood and looked at it n little while, tasting
the pure joy Of anticipation and quite
sure that there were no boys so happy or
so fortunate as they were in the world of
Boston.
''Shall we touch it off now? Oh, wait
just minute! think what fun it will be,
wasn't it lucky we got this old horn? 1t
holds such jolly lot. Hi! won't the folks
In the street jump! Come on, Dick, let's
set her off now"
"All right! Get behind the chimney,
and I'll touch her off. Oh, say, isn't
this fun"
Bob hid himself behind the chimney;
Dick, slow match in hand, got well out of
the way, as he thought, and with n shout
Of triumph touched off the fuse.
A binding flash, a hiss. as of fifty wild
cats tied by their tails and turned into the
standing corn of the Philistines, and then
loud cry, as if the Philistines, or some
body, were having an exceedingly hard
time of it.
Dick crouched down, with his hands
pressed to his biackened face. and Bob
bent over him in genuine concern.
II say, Dick. old man, are you much
hurt?"
ooh. don't know. It's my eyes care
about, that's all. / can't see anything
Come along down to the doctor. old
man. Shall take your hand!'
Take your grandmother! Don't know
the way in the dark? l say, Bob
Yes, Dick"
1--WE know what Fourth of July fool
is now, don't we?"
II reckon we do. and it's worse than an
April fool good deal. Come along!'
Fortunately. the injury to Dicks eyes
was slight, aI& he escaped with week in
a dark room, and fine array of blisters,
the traces of which adorned his face for
many day; but he has learned how nut
to burn powder on the Fourth of July
The Household.
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lncuicating Lessons OF Patriotism.
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