Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-03

Fourth OF July? l inquire.
why. the birthday of the nation"
What nation?
why, this nation. of course. silly"
And as you see me quicker my brows
with what 'ye-mean' expression, you
add: 1.-The United States. The govern
ment you're living under"
Oh. no. oh, no. I told you the Fourth
of July was not the seventeenth of Sep
TENDER The Fourth of July is no such
picayune affair as the birthday of this
nation, but the birthday of the parlia-
nent of man, the federation of the
world. The trouble with you IS that you
don't know what the Declaration of In
dependence is. I'll bet you never heard
it read out loud at public meeting II
your life. III bet if some one was to
read it you'd be fooled just the same az
Uncle Peter Van Ness was.
I'll tell you about It. 1t was in the
Pleasant Grove neighborhood, along
about 1857, I think it was. l won't he
sure because ] have to rely entirely on
hearsay. there being good and sufficient
reasons why I didn't attend. They had
had picnics on the Fourth in the Pleasant
Grove neighborhood, but this year Aunt
Polly Van Ness rose in her might against
any such doinss on such a day.
"Why, my land.' she exclaimed "A
body'd think you all was kind o. heathens
an never had the gospel light nor
nothin'. Tap the Rabbit, and 'Copen-
hagen and SIGH foolishness; and these
here firecrackers, which gimme the jumps
till I'm jist about distracted. and glad /
am when they're all burnt up and busted:
and is that all you can think of TO do on
the Fourth o July? Awful footy, triiin'
way to live. 1t is, atclrilfy, if you study
minute. Why don't you stir around,
some of you. and have speeches. and
readin' the Declaration, and singin' Hall.
Columby, Happy Land and o Say Kin
You See and all them nice songso Why,
my land, You act like you was Twin
some WHeTtS else. COME ouTlIi July.
Why when was little girl
And then you knew Aunt Polly was
wound up. Her folks came up from Viz
sinia. Freed their slaves and deposited
money with the county treasurer. as Sc
curity. and cut loose and came away.
Just about that time they'd found out
hat iIn-t IL in Ntrof pio
with slave labor
Aunt Polly talked to Uncle Peter about
the celebration. Uncle Peter came from
York state. and he thought Aunt Polly
was just about right.
IF l was a man Id be one" declared
Aunt Polly
I'D git around amongs' EN- at meetil
on Sunday. and when I went to town and
all Ike that, and Id talk 1t up about
havin' real celebration like what we
Used to have down in virginny when
was a little girl. and not these here pic
mics and kissin' games"
II jing. Polly! said Uncle Peter.
You're right. Yes. sir you're right
about that. sures you're foot high
Course" proceeded Aunt Polly. I'm
only woman. and II amt fifteen for me
20 git up and make speeches and all like
that: If give in my experience at the
class mcetin' or the love feast It's rs
much ever ] dast to do and they $
some that thinks like Paul did. that the
women had orta keep silence in the
churches. though how they made out
without the women in them days for 10
carry the air and the alto kind O. gifts
me, but i man Id have 4
mcetn' in Hanks Schoolbouse and kind
. organize and app'int the committees,
whod do this and who'd do that. and
send word to Cherokee aud Huntsville,
and Lewistoun and Noodletoozy, and for
en- all TO jine in aud hep out. and have
kind o basket mectin' and the women
folks cook up things. and swings for the