the peterkin papers-第12章

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She　was　very　timid　about　other　things。　She　was　not　sure　even　about　pea…nuts。

Everybody　exclaimed　over　this：　〃Surely　there　was　no　danger　in　pea…nuts！〃　But　　Mrs。　Peterkin　declared　she　had　been　very　much　alarmed　at　the　Centennial　　Exhibition；　and　in　the　crowded　corners　of　the　streets　in　Boston；　at　the　pea…nut　　stands；　where　they　had　machines　to　roast　the　pea…nuts。　She　did　not　think　it　was　　safe。　They　might　go　off　any　time；　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd　of　people；　too！

Mr。　Peterkin　thought　there　actually　was　no　danger；　and　he　should　be　sorry　to　　give　up　the　pea…nut。　He　thought　it　an　American　institution；　something　really　　belonging　to　the　Fourth　of　July。　He　even　confessed　to　a　quiet　pleasure　in　　crushing　the　empty　shells　with　his　feet　on　the　sidewalks　as　he　went　along　the　　streets。

Agamemnon　thought　it　a　simple　joy。

In　consideration；　however；　of　the　fact　that　they　had　had　no　real　celebration　of　　the　Fourth　the　last　year；　Mrs。　Peterkin　had　consented　to　give　over　the　day；　this　　year；　to　the　amusement　of　the　family　as　a　Centennial　celebration。　She　would　　prepare　herself　for　a　terrible　noise；…only　she　did　not　want　any　gunpowder　　brought　into　the　house。

The　little　boys　had　begun　by　firing　some　torpedoes　a　few　days　beforehand；　that　　their　mother　might　be　used　to　the　sound；　and　had　selected　their　horns　some　weeks　　before。

Solomon　John　had　been　very　busy　in　inventing　some　fireworks。　As　Mrs。　Peterkin　　objected　to　the　use　of　gunpowder；　he　found　out　from　the　dictionary　what　the　　different　parts　of　gunpowder　are；…saltpetre；　charcoal；　and　sulphur。　Charcoal；　he　　discovered；　they　had　in　the　wood…house；　saltpetre　they　would　find　in　the　cellar；　　in　the　beef　barrel；　and　sulphur　they　could　buy　at　the　apothecary's。　He　explained　　to　his　mother　that　these　materials　had　never　yet　exploded　in　the　house；　and　she　　was　quieted。

Agamemnon；　meanwhile；　remembered　a　recipe　he　had　read　somewhere　for　making　a　　〃fulminating　paste〃　of　iron…filings　and　powder　of　brimstone。　He　had　written　it　　down　on　a　piece　of　paper　in　his　pocket…book。　But　the　iron　filings　must　be　finely　　powdered。　This　they　began　upon　a　day　or　two　before；　and　the　very　afternoon　　before　laid　out　some　of　the　paste　on　the　piazza。

　Pin…wheels　and　rockets　were　contributed　by　Mr。　Peterkin　for　the　evening。

According　to　a　programme　drawn　up　by　Agamemnon　and　Solomon　John；　the　reading　of　　the　Declaration　of　Independence　was　to　take　place　in　the　morning；　on　the　piazza；　　under　the　flags。

The　Bromwicks　brought　over　their　flag　to　hang　over　the　door。

〃That　is　what　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　meant；〃　explained　Elizabeth　Eliza。

　〃She　said　the　flags　of　our　country；〃　said　the　little　boys。　〃We　thought　she　　meant　'in　the　country。'〃

Quite　a　company　assembled；　but　it　seemed　nobody　had　a　copy　of　the　Declaration　of　　Independence。

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　could　say　one　line；　if　they　each　could　add　as　much。　But　　it　proved　they　all　knew　the　same　line　that　she　did；　as　they　began：…　　〃When；　in　the　course　of…when；　in　the　course　of…when；　in　the　course　of　human…when　　in　the　course　of　human　events…when；　in　the　course　of　human　events；　it　　becomes…when；　in　the　course　of　human　events；　it　becomes　necessary…when；　in　the　　course　of　human　events　it　becomes　necessary　for　one　people〃…　　They　could　not　get　any　farther。　Some　of　the　party　decided　that　〃one　people〃　was　　a　good　place　to　stop；　and　the　little　boys　sent　off　some　fresh　torpedoes　in　honor　　of　the　people。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　was　not　satisfied。　He　invited　the　assembled　　party　to　stay　until　sunset；　and　meanwhile　he　would　find　a　copy；　and　torpedoes　　were　to　be　saved　to　be　fired　off　at　the　close　of　every　sentence。

And　now　the　noon　bells　rang　and　the　noon　bells　ceased。

　Mrs。　Peterkin　wanted　to　ask　everybody　to　dinner。　She　should　have　some　cold　　beef。　She　had　let　Amanda　go；　because　it　was　the　Fourth；　and　everybody　ought　to　　be　free　that　one　day；　so　she　could　not　have　much　of　a　dinner。　But　when　she　went　　to　cut　her　beef　she　found　Solomon　had　taken　it　to　soak；　on　account　of　the　　saltpetre；　for　the　fireworks！

Well；　they　had　a　pig；　so　she　took　a　ham；　and　the　boys　had　bought　tamarinds　and　　buns　and　a　cocoa…nut。　So　the　company　stayed　on；　and　when　the　Antiques　and　　Horribles　passed　again　they　were　treated　to　pea…nuts　and　lemonade。

　They　sung　patriotic　songs；　they　told　stories；　they　fired　torpedoes；　they　　frightened　the　cats　with　them。　It　was　a　warm　afternoon；　the　red　poppies　were　out　　wide；　and　the　hot　sun　poured　down　on　the　alley…ways　in　the　garden。　There　was　a　　seething　sound　of　a　hot　day　in　the　buzzing　of　insects；　in　the　steaming　heat　that　　came　up　from　the　ground。　Some　neighboring　boys　were　firing　a　toy　cannon。　Every　　time　it　went　off　Mrs。　Peterkin　started；　and　looked　to　see　if　one　of　the　little　　boys　was　gone。　Mr。　Peterkin　had　set　out　to　find　a　copy　of　the　〃Declaration。〃　　　Agamemnon　had　disappeared。　She　had　not　a　moment　to　decide　about　her　headache。

She　asked　Ann　Maria　if　she　were　not　anxious　about　the　fireworks；　and　if　rockets　　were　not　dangerous。　They　went　up；　but　you　were　never　sure　where　they　came　down。

And　then　came　a　fresh　tumult！　All　the　fire…engines　in　town　rushed　toward　them；　　clanging　with　bells；　men　and　boys　yelling！　They　were　out　for　a　practice　and　for　　a　Fourth…of…July　show。

Mrs。　Peterkin　thought　the　house　was　on　fire；　and　so　did　some　of　the　guests。

There　was　great　rushing　hither　and　thither。　Some　thought　they　would　better　go　　home；　some　thought　they　would　better　stay。　Mrs。　Peterkin　hastened　into　the　house　　to　save　herself；　or　see　what　she　could　save。　Elizabeth　Eliza　followed　her；　first　　proceeding　to　collect　all　the　pokers　and　tongs　she　could　find；　because　they　　could　be　thrown　out　of　the　window　without　breaking。　She　had　read　of　people　who　　had　flung　looking…glasses　out　of　the　window　by　mistake；　in　the　excitement　of　the　　house　being　on　fire；　　　and　had　carried　the　pokers　and　tongs　carefully　into　the　　garden。　There　was　nothing　like　being　prepared。　She　had　always　determined　to　do　　the　reverse。　So　with　calmness　she　told　Solomon　John　to　take　down　the　　looking…glasses。　But　she　met　with　a　difficulty；…there　were　no　pokers　and　tongs；　　as　they　did　not　use　them。　They　had　no　open　fires；　Mrs。　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。

At　the　most　exciting　moment；　near　the　close　of　the　reading；　Agamemnon；　with　an　　expression　of　terror；　pulled　Solomon　John　aside。

〃I　have　suddenly　remembered　where　I　read　about　the　'fulminating　paste'　we　made。

It　was　in　the　preface　to　'Woodstock；'　and　I　have　been　round　to　borrow　the　book　　to　read　the　directions　over　again；　because　I　was　afraid　about　the　'paste'　going　　off。　READ　THIS　QUICKLY！　and　tell　me；　Where　is　the　fulminating　paste？　〃

Solomon　John　was　busy　winding　some　covers　of　paper　over　a　little　parcel。　It　　contained　chlorate　of　potash　and　sulphur　mixed。　A　friend　had　told　him　of　the　　composition。　The　more　thicknesse