300 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July. 
some pleasant spot, and then let one boy read the 
“Declaration of Independence,” that document 
which was the cause of all the celebrations. Make 
sure that whatever else you do, this “Declaration ” 
is read and listened to; then sing the “ Star Span¬ 
gled Banner,” “Red White and Blue,” and other 
patriotic songs. This done, make as much noise, 
and be as lively as you please, hut always, every 
year, on the 4th of July, so long as you live, read or 
hear read, that grand old document, the “Declara¬ 
tion of Independence.” Now for the evening; 
many spend a sum for Roman Candles, Rockets, 
and other fireworks. I would suggest as 
Better than fireworks, 
the paper Chinese lanterns. These, with the can¬ 
dles, cost but little, as compared with fireworks, 
and when hung on the piazza at night, and in the 
trees about the house, make a most pleasing il¬ 
lumination, which is enjoyable for hours, while fire¬ 
works make a fizz and a noise, and are over at 
once. Boys often make a great mistake in begin¬ 
ning their celebration too early—often at midnight 
on the 3rd, and when night comes on the 4th, 
they are quite too tired to enjoy anything. This 
more frequently happens in towns and cities, than in 
the country. The hoys in a large city are to be pitied 
on the 4th of July, those at least who have but 
very little money, and are unable to go off on some 
of the many excursions provided on that day. 
There arc in every city, large numbers of boys who 
do not seem to belong anywhere in particular,who 
black shoes, sell papers, carry parcels, and work at 
all sorts of odd jobs. These hoys have the same 
idea of the 4th of July that other boys have, that 
is that they must “ celebrate ” it, and that means 
in doing something that they can not do on other 
days; they usually manage to save a few coppers 
in advance to be expended on that day. Now that 
the police are strict in preventing the firing of 
crackers, pistols, etc., on the streets, these young¬ 
sters are deprived of a large share of their fun. 
What is the 4th of July without fire-crackers, or 
somethingthat will make a noise ? They learn some¬ 
how, and very early, that the 4th of July must be 
celebrated, and that in their minds means to shoot 
off something. If they cannot shoot with a “bang,” 
they do the next best thing, and shoot without the 
“bang,” and it is a great harvest day for the big lazy 
fellows who keep the street target galleries. These 
chaps find some place in a side street, or one where 
a new building is going up, and put up their tar¬ 
gets ; at these the boys can shoot with spring guns, 
which throw a sort of dart with a steel point. 
The crowds that sometimes gather around these 
targets are not always of boys, for many others 
watch these rifle matches, as the engraving of 
such a street scene shows. The boy and girl at the 
left-hand interest us more than do any others in the j 
picture. The little girl is evidently trying to per¬ 
suade her brother not to spend his money so fool- , 
ishly. She does not appear to have much success, i 
as the boy looks like one who, on this day at least, i j 
is bound to declare his “Independence.” Hot pave¬ 
ments, crowded streets, shooting a mock gun at a 
target. It is the best the little fellows can do—but 
they are in their way celebrating this memorable 
day. You who can show your patriotism in the open: 
country, and in pleasanter methods, should not 
look unkindly on these little fellows, but be glad 
that among boys every where, this day is remem¬ 
bered ; let us hope that they may leam why it is I 
remembered. It will be a bad day for this coun¬ 
try when its boys do not look forward with pleas- ; 
ure to the coming of the 4th of July, The Doctor. 
