New-York tribune., 1901-07-02
TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH
HOW DIFFERENT PEOPLE WILL SPEND
THE DAY OF INDEPENDENCE.

The explosions of 1recrackers. to-pedoes and per-
cussion caps. which began TO be heard intermit-
tently early June Is. have now become so
frequent that the more timorous citizens are al
ready escaping from the city in search of quiet
To be sure the actual Fourth of July is day after
tomorrow, but as far the noise that is at
tendant upon this day is concerned, it began to
arrive nearly week ago.
The natural indignation of the frecracker hater
appears particularly intensified this year because
of the heat. He tells stories of how he had sue
ceeded in finally getting TO sleep after leaning
out the window half the night in waiting for cool
breeze. only 70 be awakened from nightmare
by the explosion of some giant cracker under his
window. OF course. in all years, he is ever
eager to diate the injuries. deaths and fires
that result from 1recraekers. But this year he
talks as If he were altogether serious.
However the frecracker hater may denounce holi-
day powder in all its multitudnous FORMS the
small boy seems to love it the more dearly The
hotter the day. the fonder is he of printing his
toy carnon on the sunbeaten side of a brick wall
and shooting gravel bullets stray cats across
the area. In order give still greater zest TO the
sport. he delights more than in starting a
bonfire when the mercury is at it's highest so
that the gang light their fuses without in
convenience.
1t makes no difference to him If the Fourth as
designated by red letter the calendar is still
two days a week in the future. The smell of
saltpetre the szzle of the fuse. the bursting
conclusion. have just the charms June 20
or July as on July f.
1t is the principle of the day that he celebrates
and not the day that he celebrates, and the prin-
ciple, TO his way of thinking, is make a noise.
But however incalculable is the gulf between the
frecracker hater and the small boy the great mass
of people seem to look upon the holiday with pleas
ant anticipation. There is the picncker instance
who had rather eat musty sandwiches in some New
Jersey swamp than we'll cooked. well served din
ner in the city, all because IL is a picnic. Then
there is the baseball iend, who takes advantage of
the day to see a good game He has been COM
planning for weeks about the heat in the city been
doctoring his stomach and taking daily shampoOS
Tor his head. Now there is to be a baseball game,
ana, 1orSetful or the Shampoos and the doctor 5
bills. he sits all the afternoon the furnace CRATE
OF some bleacher to see his own team defeated
Then there the thirsty multitudeS the
Tammany districts rent by interparty fights who
md in the Fourth chance TO be invited to a
stag party"
for the Fourth. and where the picnicker may find
his anticipationS realized, is that of the New York
Letter Carriers Association. which has a picnic
and games at Schutzen Park, Union Hill. y. J.. be-
ginning at u o'clock.
The patients of many of the city Institutions will
games. Among others the patients and employees
of the Manhattan State Hospital. Wards Isl
and, will have field day, beginning at o'clock
and extending into the evening.
With perhaps patriotic purpose in view two
Mormon proselytes will celebrate the day by being
admitted to their new faith They are Mrs. Thomas
A. Blair and Miss Dickinson, of the Port Morris
Congregational Church. They will be baptized in
the afternoon in Bayonne Bay. y. ].
Tammany Hall is to celebrate the day with ora
tory a brass band fireworks and frewater Will
lam 5. Jennings. of Florida. is to be the 13-iuch
gun of the day. and Senator Grady of the
at Vantage will speak about the work of the Fif-
teen, Justice Jerome. and other subjects of con-
temporaneous interest. with the exception, per
haps of such themes as fire hose, ice and park
chairs.