Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-07-03
lESSE,S ROCKET.
A story of the Ever Glorious Fourth


A story OF the Ever Glorious Fourth
of July.
A carryall stopped before a small red
house on a long, lonely country road.
and little white headed boy ran out
from the woodshed to see who had
come.
"May we have drink Of water from
your well?' asked lady on the back
seat.
There was a boy in front sitting by
happy and excited.
whats your name?" he asked when
the little fellow brought a dipper full
of cold, sparkling water.
"Jesse Lee" was the reply.
"I'm Arthur Brown. Do you know
whit day 1t tsp
"Its Wednesday," said Jesse.
'Its Fourth of July! Don't you keep
it? Haven't you got frecrackers and
rockets and tblngs?"
mo" said Jesse.
'We're going to my unclcs to stay
all night, and we're carrying all our
fireworks with us. Say, papa, how
far does Uncle Jason live from here"
1.-TWO miles across lots in that direc-
tion," said his father, pointing west,
"but 1t Is five miles around the road"
"Well," said Arthur, '1f you look to-
night over that way when it grows
dark you'll see our rockets going up"
"Well, I'll look" said Jesse very ear
nestly.
Papa, ] mean to give Jesse one of
our rockets, and then when he sees
ours go up he can send up his, and
shall know he's looking. May I?''
His father nodded and Arthur drew
a rocket from his box and handed it to
Jesse.
"Now. remember" he called back as
the horses started off.
Jesse Lee had never seen rocket be-
FORE He laid this one on the table in
the front room and went many times
that day to look at it. 1t was mys-
terry and a great delight. When his
father came in from moving and saw
the rocket, he said he knew how TO
high expectations.
1t was a quiet day on the little farm.
The sound of bells and guns in the
nearest town could not reach this re-
mote spot. but perhaps no town boy
was happier than little Jesse, with his
one rocket lying there upon the table
Supper was over at last and the work
oil No II u
Jesse took his place on the front gate
to watch. He looked west and Won
dered how far two miles would reach
The dusk gathered, the night came
softly down, and, oh, suddenly far
away, a star shot aloft up into the sky
and broke in shower of brightness!
"That's the first rocket" said Jesse's
father. All the family were watching
now
There's anotherY' cried Jesse. "Shall
we send up mine now?"
'No; I'd wait little" said his ia
Their. "Wait till they stop awhile"
One after another the beautiful
things shot brightly up, and Jesse's
heart beat unanimously as he handled
his own one rocket. Then there came
a pause.
"Now," said his father, bringing the
matchbox.
They went out in the road before the
house, and Jesse touched the match to
the rocket when his father gave til
word. A moment more, sound,
rush, and the imprisoned splendor
capped and fled up, up, star with
path of light behind it. Far aloft an
overhead it divided and became three
stars, red, white and blue, and these
in turn became showers of fiery sparks
which flew and faded
"Ohw breathed Jesse in a sigh of
rapture. He had never known a joy
like this before.
Hes sent his up.' cried Arthur, two
miles away. Gle sees ours, and he's
sent up hisr'
And then they renewed their own
display of fireworks, candles, wheels.
flower baskets and all the rest, with
every little while rocket. Every time
he sent rocket up Arthur said:
"Jesse'll see that!''
But there was no more answer from
Jesse. His one rocket had signaled its
message and was silent. He sat in his
fathers arms, a happy boy, watching
for one beautiful starry light after an
other and when it was all over went
smiling to bed, saying:
Wasn't Arthur good to give me that
rocket?"
Two miles away Arthur also went
smiling to bed. but there was one lit
tie regret i'll his heart. He said to him
self:
81 had so many. wish had given
Jesse more" Youths Companion.
A FOURTH OF JULY MENU.