The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-07-03
Ole FIRST
70 VI r. II III

II required a long time to prepare
for the celebration OF the first Fourth
OF July; IL demanded nerve, courage;
heroism: the man who huzzaed for
liberty then was in danger OF putting
his head I'm a moose, and he who fired
q U In honor OF the occasion was
shot without trial IL caught.
Nowadays. people who wake up on
the morning OF the Fourth OF July,
amid the booming OF cannon the noise
OF trumpets, crack1e or guns and snap.
ping of fire crackers, and q general
pandemonium OF free and generous
noise. seldom think OF the years OF
through which the colonial Americans
passed before reaching the great day
when they could shout for freedom.
There had been long resistance to
tyranny, oppression and injustice. The
Lexington shot hat was heard around
the world" had been fired. Harry Lee
had proclaimed independence, Patrick
Henry had demanded liberty or
death" but the time was not quite
ripe for that day OF all days in Ameri-
can history, the Fourth of July, 1776.
On that day fifty-six determined
patriots assembled In the state house
at Philadelphia. They had a purpose
In assembling. an dthat purpose was OF
grave import to the whole world. Thir-
teen colonies, with their three millions
In assembling. and that purpose was OF
they had sanctioned IL, approved II,
and what the fifty-six men were about
to do they were to do on behalf of
those three millions of people who had
fought, suffered, bled and starved that
II might be done. Everybody knew
what was going to happen, even the
small boy who now makes as much
noise as he can, was there with the
crowds assembled 10 hear the tocsin OF
liberty. r
"A member OF this great congress OF
h people arose, and stopping a mo-
ment looked at the a faces before
him, then he began to read from a
paper he held in his hand: %8#
when In the course of human
events" reading on along down the list
OF grievances until he reached the con-
summarizing words that created a new
nation:
We, therefore. the representatives
OF the United states OF America, In
general congress assembled, appealing
to the supreme judge OF the world for
the rectitude Of our intentions, do, in
the name and by the authority OF the
good people OF these colonies, soIemnly
publish and declare, That these United
States are, and OF right ought to be
free and independents" here came an
interruption In the person OF a small
IVY VIM was lIlh a luSe 10 keep
1T b~urning-he had a small cannon
ready loaded to be the first to celebrate
the very first Fourth of July---he rush
ed to the old bellman, waiting with the
rope in his hand to ring out liberty on
liberty bell. 'Ringi Hingl Ring!" he
shouted, and the old belIman threw his
whole weight Upon the rope and the
tongue of that liberty bell spoke to the
crowd, and said. I'VE are free, the life
OF a new and great nation has begun.
Rejoice and be glad" And the people
shouted "Huzzai We are free!" Then
they embraced one another, and shout
ed themselves hoarse. and when they
could shout no more they fired guns,
touched of gun powder, and waved
flags, but the tongue Of liberty bell
kept on ringing, for two long hours
the old bellman pulled with all his
strength, and when asked why he did
not stop, he answered, II can't; 1 don't
want to- ] could keep on ringing lib
erty to the world forever" Then the
fifty six men arose and shouted, and
huzzaed and embraced, the deed was
done, the nation was born, and the first
Fourth of July was i~naugurated. We
have been keeping II up ever since, and
as we grow larger and stronger, we
make more noise, which Is very
natural and quite proper. 80