Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-06-29

century into the picture When the day
is over, who will undertake to prove that
the small boy of 1901 has enjoyed more
fun to the inch or shot away more flesh
or exploded more breath shouting for lib
crty than his rcat-grcat -granddaddy did
just 100 years ago?
This is not saying that the small boy of
today is slow, that he isn't up to date and
way ahead of the Continental urChin who
never saw n steam engine, n gaSlight.
electric lamp or bicycle. But the lad in
knickerbockers was nearer to the natal
day of old Columbia. He heard the
echoes of the guns of the Revolution, and
the smell Of its British killing battle pow
der was floating on the virgin air.
Then the youngStcr Of 1901 had plenty
of time to be patriotic and maybe he took
week or n month to it. for he Travelled
far to reach other boys his nciGhborS and
cousins. His school lessons were confined
to mastering the three RS, and he hadn't
the attractions of football, baseball and
shell rowing to fill in the gap of amuse
mcnts The village fife and drum corps
practiccd at the crossroads tavern daily
and almost all night for week. and the
unQuict feeling which those spirited
strains threw into the heels and toes of
the small boy kept him waltzing on air till
he dropped climax usually reached
about an hour forward or backward from
quarter past 4 o'clock on the morning of
July ;
AS for firCcrackcrs, punk, rockets and
all those sizzling, burning and popping
ContrivanCeS, let any celcbrator of 1901
who thinks he is pioneer in the shooting
line ask the granddaddics looking on if
they and their granddaddics got off on the
Fourth with sound fingers, whole eye
brOws and eyes right side up in the sock
cts. And the guns and the cannon and
the grandfathcrs' swords! These last
didn't make any racket to speak Of but
they graccd the day, all polished and
bright, arousing more envy than any
other relics of the war which gave the
Fourth an excuse for its noise.
Not only guns and swords, but Cont
mental hats, frOCk coats, knee brccChes
md spurs came from their hiding in at
tic chests to be aired and paradcd on the
day of days. Fun and patriotism joined
hands. The more patriotism the more
fun, and vice versa.
Imposing pageantry was n feature al
ways popular and easily provided. Young
men were eager to march or stand around
all day so long as they could he dccked
in old military trappings, a hat for ono, a
coat for another, n sword here and 4
flintlock muskct there. Sham battles
were fought and Lexington and Bunker
Hill came ont as sweeping victories for
the ContincntalS The only trouble was
to find willing volunteers to be knocked
down as lucklcss BritOns.
Cannon. all powder black and battered
from the knoll where the hagpole stood
If over the stock of powder ran out be-
fore 4 o'clock the afternoon Of the Fourth
there was now shuttle of the Fourth of
July committee for the next year. Mus
kcts from Bennington, Saratoga and
Yorktown were taken from their slingS
and fired in rotation by all the descend
ants of the Continental soldiers who had
used them on the rcdcoats.
In a great degree the long civil war
used up the spirit which had made the
Fourth so lively in the first half of the
century. Pagcantry grew commonplace
or the love of it was satisfied by the an
nual show of fire companies.
II the twentieth century boy finds his
Fourth Il tame affair and just like all
other holidays except for the fireworks.
perhaps it would be novelty to revive
the doings of the olden time. There was
roaring fun in it for everybody or the day
would have been dropped from the cal
endar long ago. JONATHAN JOYCE.