Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-04
FOURTH TN FROGTOWN
DENIzENs RUDEIY AWAKENED
By War HUsKET.
ehanties Empty Little Ones at Call
Of Uncle Dan Dabney-Aunt
Nancy's breakfast.


nuslet, discharged frssn the window OF a
shanty in "Frogtown.p shivered the gray
shadows Of dawn, which were creeping
senithward from the eastern horizon this
morning and sent flying echoes hither and
thither. The report. like a signal gun,
rudely announced to the denizens Of quaint
'Frogtown' that the glorious Fourth had
arrived, and soon men. women and children
were astir and the settlement shook on its
day dawn lethargy and assumed an air Of
activity.
Small boys and girls, half clad and anx-
ious emerged from their homes armed
with hrecrackers, devil chasers and other
forms OF minor pyrotechnics, and soon
t t!a was series of pops" bangs and
sizzes and the morning air became
Ire1ghted with sulphurous odors. Aged
Uncle Dan Dabney, 1.-The father of Frog
town, appeared at his front door, having
IN his hand the old four-barreled pepper
box pistol, the former property OF "Ole
Marse William in Henrico county, during
slave days.
Dis am de Fourth, boys" shouted I'm
cle Dan and up went the pepperbox. as he
emptied the barrels with four loud, re-
sounding bangs. Then with a grim
look OF satisfaction he re-entered his
shanty to assist his better half, Old Aunt
Nancy IN preparing the frugal Indepen-
Soon the ebony-hued housewives of
frogtoWn were busy preparing refresh
ments TO be carried on picnics or partaken
OF at home. Lemonade appeared to be
favorite beverage among the women and
children, while most of the men paid early
morning visits to the nearest saloons and
provided themselves with bottles Of red
and white" as a mixture of gin and black
berry brandy is termed.
Fusillade Of Fireworks.
The boys continued their fusilade of fire.
works and the men drank their red and
white and in a short while the loud Ian
guage and outlaws of the half drunken fell
lows added to the din. A man with a banjo
and another with guitar come out Of a
house and struck up a lively ragtime air.
A crowd of men, women and boys quickly
surrounded the players and sang with all
their might and main. The scene was a
typical southern one and the negro partici-
pants We're all jolly and happy.
Then came forth Uncle Dan Dabney,
feeling good after a substantial breakfast
He entered the throng of singers, and after
the music had subsidized he addressed the
crowd.
Uncle Dams Grafton.
at hab bin my custom fer five years ter
liver a Grafton ter yer on dis perpistic
'casion,' he began. Then pointing to a
small, glazed cambria flag tackled to a
nearby doorway, he continued: Jess look
at dat imblm OBJ freedom on Sister Green's
door. What duz it stan fer? Duz yer
kno? Eff yer don't, l duz. De red stripes
STAINS fer de blood de cullud sojers of
Marse Abraham lost in winnin' de war ag1n
de rebils De blue place wild de stars in it
STAINS fer de blue sojer close dey wore an
de white stripes STAINS fer de white rebils
dat we whipped"
What about de stars, Uncle DAM piped
a boy in the crowd.
DE stars honey?" answered the old fell
low refiectively, scratching his woolly pate,
why, de stars STAINS fer de bomb-shells an
cannon balls We sent arter EN- when dey
WuZ runnin' away frum us like SCARED
rabbits. OATS what de stars STAINS fer
Continuing the eyed man declared there
were three reasons why the Fourth of July
is celebrated. The first was the defeat of
the British by de Minnit Men," the sec
President, and the third, that "Marse Abb
raham Lincoln took de sledge hammer an
knocked de chains oh slavery FUN do legs
oh our cullud folks"
AS this peroration was given in a loud
voice there was applause and the orchestra
of two pieces struck up Bill Bailey. Won't
You Please Come Home,' the refrain be-
ing SUNG. with gusto by the crowd, while the
man with the ante-bellum musket discharg
ed the weapon in the air, with a report
which sounded like that of a howitzer.
The picnic parties were soon vending
their way countryward in carts, ash wagons
and other vehicles with well-filled baskets
and boxes. They will return after sunset
this evening, when "Frogtown" will be
given up to pyrotechnics, red and white"
and general hilarity.
"Frogtown'' is the colored settlement
south CT the Capitol, bordering on Blood
field