The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-06-30

'acecracne,s, to do the celebrating. He
has attended to the matter to the best
,f lis limited ability, and according to
the extent of his financial resources.
He has kept up all through the night
Of the third Of July, year after year;
and he has hung good peoples gates
su the telegraph poles, and put wagons
10 soak in the river, and let horses out
d their stables to crop the early vege-
tables in the neighbors' gardens; and
he has put the undertaker's sign in
front Of the doctors Office, and the
barber" striped pole before the mil
hRery store, to show how the fair
customers were shaved; and he has
tung bells, and footed horns, and beat
drums. and blown off his fingers with
toy cannon, and killed his young COM
panions with toy pistols; and, in short.
hc las done his best for his country,
and gone home at night after the fire.
works, tired as though he had had a
rua Of typhoid fever. and slept the
sleep OF the just until noon the next
day.
All honor to the small bog. with his
anbounded patriotism, and his flag
rsisings. and his procession Of "hor
ribles." and his ceaSeless shouting and
cheering-and we will give him what
pennies we can afford, and keep as far
out of his track as possible until he
ssts through with his celebrating.
But the older people of this country
do not want to forget the Fourth of
July. Once, not so long ago. either,
that was the day of all days to the
people of these United States. 1t was
talked about for weeks and months
before 1T was due on the calendar
TO put in an appearance. Everybody
hoped it would not be too hot, and
that it would not rain, and that there
would be no thunder-showers to spoil
the fireworks.
New dresses were made for the
Fourth. Hats and bonnets made their
first appearance before the public on
the Fourth. Children were early in the
year promised that II they would be
gUod, they should go to the celebration
III the grove, or in the city, as the case
might be.
Marriages were solemnized on the
Fourth of July. The bashful suitor
screwed his courage to the sticking
point, and. remembering what the day
represented to the American people,
walked boldly up to the object of his
alteration. and, sweltering beneath the
unwonted pressure Of his new tight
boots, and his broadcloth suit. and his
high collar. with the mercury at
hundred in the shade. and his blood
all in his face. asked her if he could
have tile pleasure Of her company over
Pine Ridge, or Spruce Hollow.
And If she said yes. then he hired the
r st top buggy in the land. and they
mt to thar ce;ebration. and ate clam
Aowder. and some roast pig, and
'me ice cream. and drank pink lemon
le out OF the same thick -bottomed
Imbler. TO show that their two souls
I ID hut single thought. and that their
two hearts beat as one: and in the
"~eninS they sat out in the grove and
let the mosquitoes nibble them, while
they looked ut the fireworks and held
each others hands beneath the shelter
Of the long shawl she had brought
slong rs protection against the dcws
-af the evening. And all day the old
dag was cheered, and patriotism
walked abroad upon the land in red.
white and blue, and spoke in tones
thick with guIpowder and resonant
with the ciangor Of church bells.
Let us have once more some Of these
good old-fasl.iomed celebrations. We