Peterkin had been afraid of them. So Elizabeth Eliza
took all the pots and kettles up to the upper windows, ready to be
thrown out.
But where was Mrs. Peterkin? Solomon John found she had fled to
the attic in terror. He persuaded her to come down, assuring her it
was the most unsafe place; but she insisted upon stopping to
collect some bags of old pieces, that nobody would think of
saving from the general wreck, she said, unless she did. Alas! this
was the result of fireworks on Fourth of July! As they came
downstairs they heard the voices of all the company declaring
there was no fire; the danger was past. It was long before Mrs.
Peterkin could believe it. They told her the fire company was only
out for show, and to celebrate the Fourth of July. She thought it
already too much celebrated.
Elizabeth Eliza's kettles and pans had come down through the
windows with a crash, that had only added to the festivities, the
little boys thought.
Mr. Peterkin had been roaming about all this time in search of a
copy of the Declaration of Independence. The public library was
shut, and he had to go from house to house; but now, as the sunset
bells and cannon began, he returned with a copy, and read it, to
the pealing of the bells and sounding of the cannon.
Torpedoes and crackers were fired at every pause. Some
sweet-marjoram pots, tin cans filled with crackers which were
lighted, went off with great explosions.
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