Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-06-30
Oldtine
Independence
.aT& Day e
Celebrations

Truly day OF reckoning was the
day that followed the old Fourth of
July. Usually II IL did not rain the
weather was gray, as IL the clouds Of
gunpowder smoke still lowered over
the earth, and while the older folk
were reading of fires and casualties
the younger ones unobtruslvely got
away from the house to meet on street
corners and In empty lots, there to live
over again the glcries of the day be
fore, which would not be repeated un.
iii another year had passed.
1t Is the generation who We're boys
in 1879 or whereabouts that is apt to
linger as Tong on the memories Of
9th of July as on those of the ma
tional day; perhaps their memories Of
the former are more poignant. Ere
they began to relate the exciting events
of the Fourth OF their boyhood they
usually preface by recalling how
Charley deliberately shot blank car
fridge In his hand; how Willie lost an
eye and Eddie a finger; but, having
counted up the cost, they laugh out
aloud and eXclaim:
ut was worth 1t, by Jovel Fourth
of July thea was the real thing, and
anybody who was boy then viii
never forge: it. The poor Riddles of
today have no way OF realizing what
real excitement Is. What's the glori-
GUS Fourth to themf Merely a Holt
day, like any other"
Advocate the "Sane and Safe"
But in the next breath they hedge
on their transports, remarking in so
Der afterthought:
II guess the present way OF observ-
ing the Fourth, the sane and safe way,
Is the best after all. We paid dearly
In fires and accidents, and more than
occasionally in lives for our fun Oh,
yes were wiser now"
Certainly we are wiser. Most OF
the generation who avidly drank the
delights of a national celebration un
curbed and unparalleled are fathers
even grandfathers today. And to thea
naturally "sane and safe is pleasant
juxtaposItlon OF words. They have
reached the time of life which ap
proves or 'Satety nrSt.
But listen TO the old-timer whose
boast Is that he was born ant
brought up In a city" When he reml
nisces out OF earshot OF his grandson
the sane and safe and pros0ic gets liz
tie sympathy. lie revels in the devil
try he cut on that day of days, th6
Fourth, when every leading string WA
loesed.
Stored His Fireworks.
"I0r couple of months beforehan,
|. who had been a spendthrift az DIRTY
Jolns,' us we boys called the near
est confectloner changed into a very
mlser. / saved every cent, and AZ
soon as | had nickel. or | went an,
bought a-package.of fire-crackers. Tha
was the price of the ordinary sizeC
cracker. nd IN those days the gian
size was just coming in. / stowe,
my purchase in large shoe box lyhlcI
I KEEP. under the bed and added TO M,
store as the generosity OF my elder
allowed.
'By the Fourth | usually had a
| .east two score punches and a Few
Torpedo packages, although even thei
I | desplsed the latter as being only goo,
4 for girls Mayhap a catherine whee
or Roman candle, or Joy OF joys,
rocket or two got into my store b!
! good luck And as the hoard grew
/ apace so grew my impotence. l
seemed os If the Fourth Of July woul'
/ never come.
1T came az last and scarcely ,ha,
the alnrm clock OF Phochus Apoll,
! walked that god az day before | sal
He'd forth 20 make what noise | ooul
! with the means at hand. Early as