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-------JUlf 4, I8T».This day woke up out of^tii “lap of night’11 very much aftqr the fashion of every other 4th of July from time immemorial. The cannon belonging io. otir militia regiment {which by tho way acorns to be taking a little breathing spoil of a flsvr score of years) began to bellow about sunrise, but got a hint to “dry up,” in the hhapo of a heavy rain storm early in the morning. The number of mourners was not' large, and wo haven't heard a single man “cuss” about his broken windows. The oration cainos iolF at 10 o'clock, but owing to tho win few i people h id got into town. The stand was on tho north stoop, or steps, or veranda of the Fossett House, and consisted of a substantial, rickety extension dining table, from which the speaker orated about three quarters of an hour . One of tho editors of this paper being the orator, you will please insert here any amount of stuff that wouldgratify his ears and consider it written out,but he don’t believes word ofII.' However, it used up time till folks got in and the substantial Celebration of tlio day began. The procession didn't come off in the forenoon as announced, for the reason that it couldn't in tho latter half of a drizzly half day. But the crowd seemed to bo quite as well amused pro tempore, by tho efforts of a score or two of boys to get at tho watch on tho top of a peeled and groascd pine pole in front of the American Hotel. The average run got up about four feet, when they concluded they wouldn’t, and slid down the pole and out of the laughing crowd as speedily us the native modesty of our rising generation would permit. Two or three, however, kept steadily at work, and by dint of rubbing off the grease, sanding the hands, Ac., gradually cjrept up nearer the coveted wateh(?), yes, that word will do. It looked like one, and it isn’t best to be too particular. At lusfc-^o youngster named Handley, by means Of k naturally enquiring turn of mind, found out that a little chalk wonderfully increased the adhesive qualities ofa billiard ouo, and why shouldn’t it operate the same way on an urchin’s pantaloons? (I think O. P. Q. A P. gave him a hint.) Oil went the chalk, up went the pantaloons, and down came tho watch, and the hist soon of all thrco was heading aline of ragged boys on lt;y home street f°r Kwell's to ascertain the valuo of tho sVug. 12, M. At this hour dinner, ioo cream, soda water, water, braWy and water, brandy without the water, anything that the crowd taw lit to get outside of, except a couple of fellows in the lock-up, who couldn’t get outside of anything, not even the lock-up itself. At 2 o’clock, which meant 3 o’clock, tho procession started, head down stream. Tho “aujencb” howled and laughed themselves hoarse, as its be-Jizeiied, bespangled and ragged battalionsmarched past. As a parade of Fantastics it has never heen equalled in this vicinity, and certainly ought never to be in .any other. Modocs first. And it seems queer how little is required to vamp over an Allcganian into an “lujin.” A little brick dust and ochre did the business, and transformedabout a dozen natives into as bloodthirsty,* 'and almost as numerous a lot of Modocs, as tins great Yankee nation ever had the glory of conquering. There were a few doticicn-ees in the make-up, for instance, we didn’t notice any scalps hauging to their girdles.Perhaps no parties here were willing to lend them, but we know of several score thatcouldn’t be put to abetter use, only the wearers thinking differently. Then followed certain comique minstrel bands, and seta of clog dancers aud bell ringOr*. With practice and experience they gave hopes that they might In time get off-us-outlandish gestures as the genuine troupes they were designed to burlesque. A youngster followed on an animal of unmistakable tau-i « % fe •ritie proclivities, which submitted to the bits us complacently as any horse in Wells-i %•* • * * •*vilie. Wo are inclined to think, however, that if most men should try .to break suchuti nninml nutta \t*Anhl molrn a
Newspaper Details
Wellsville Times
Wellsville, New York, US
Thu, Jul 10, 1873
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Mary R.
USA 20 May 2018
Other Publications Near Wellsville, New York
Wellsville Free Press
Wellsville Allegany County Reporter
Wellsville Allegany County Democrat
Wellsville Genesee Valley Free Press
Spectator
