Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-06-28
Oldtinne
independence
.&E Day e
Celebrations

Truly q day u reckoning was the
DAY that followed the old Fourth ~
July. Usually II IL did not rain the
weather was gray, as II the clouds 81
E1nuuWder smoke still lowered over
the earth. and while the older folk
were reading u fires and casualties
the younger ones unobtrusively got
away from the house 20 meet on street
corners and In empty lots. there 20 live
over again the gi0ries II the day be-
fore. which would not be repeated I'M
tl another year had passed.
II Is the generation who were boys
in 1870 or Whereabouts that is apt 10
EnEer as long on the memories 81
9th 20 July as on those 81 the ma
ti0nal day: perhaps their memories 81
the former are more poignant. Ere
they began % relate the exciting events
Of the Fourth Of their bOyhOod they
usually preface by recalling how
Charley deliberately shot blank car
fridge On his hand: how Willie lost an
ere and Eddie a finger; but. having
counted up the cost, they laugh out
aloud and exclaim:
1T was worth Il. by Jovei Fourth
q July then was the real thing. and
ANYBODY who was q boy then wiz
never forget Il. The poor Riddles 81
today have No way ~ realizing what
real excitement is. What's the glori-
Gus Fourth % themT Merely a holt
day. like any other"
Advocate the sane and Safe"
But la the next breath they hedge
On their transports. remarking in So
ber afterthought:
4 guess the present way ~ ohsery-
fng the Fourth. the sane and safe way.
s. the best after all We paid dearly
So fires and accidents. and more than
occasionally In lives Tor our fun. Oh,
YES were wiser now! ="
Certainly we are wiser. Mos 81
the generation who avidly drank the
delights 81 a national celebration I'M
curbed and unparalleled are fathers,
even Erandfathers today. And 20 them
naturally sane and safe" Is a pleasant
fuxtapnslfion % words. They have
reached the time u life which APP
proves ~ safety first"
But listen % the old-tlmer whose
boast i that he was born and
brought up in a city" When he remi-
uisces out - earsh0t ~ his grandson
the sane and safe and proSaic gets .it-
tie sympathy. He revels In the devil
try he cut on that day ~ days. the
Fourth. when every leading string was
i0osed
Stored His Fireworks.
aFor a couple 81 months beforehand
]. who had been a spendthrift at Dirty
Johns as We boys called the near
est confectioner. changed into a very
mIser. I saved every cent. and az
soon as had a nickel. OF went and
bought a package % fre-cEackers. That
was the price 81 the ordinary sized
cracker. and In those days the giant
size was just coming in slowed
my purchase In a large shoe box which
I kept under the bed and added 10 my
store as the generosity Of my elders
allowed.
-By the Fourth usually had al
least two score lunches and a few
torpedo packages. although even Their
I ceSpised the latter as being only good
for girls. Mayhap a catherine wheel
or n Roman candle. or Joy Of Joys. a
rocket or two got into my store by
good luck And as the hoard grew
apace 50 grew my impotence. II
seemed as IL the Fourth Of July would
never come.
1T came az last. and scarcely had
ne alarm clock Of Ph0ehus Apollo
walked that god Of day before l sal
led forth 10 make what noise I could
Etth the means az hand Early as