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fore； 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 thicknesses of paper you put round it the louder it would go off。 You must pound it with a hammer。 Solomon John felt it must be perfectly safe； as his mother had taken potash for a medicine。
He still held the parcel as he read from Agamemnon's book： 〃This paste； when it has lain together about twenty…six hours； will of itself take fire； and burn all the sulphur away with a blue flame and a bad smell。〃
〃Where is the paste？〃 repeated Solomon John； in terror。
〃We made it just twenty…six hours ago；〃 said Agamemnon。
〃We put it on the piazza；〃 exclaimed Solomon John； rapidly recalling the facts； 〃and it is in front of our mother's feet！〃
He hastened to snatch the paste away before it should take fire； flinging aside the packet in his hurry。 Agamemnon； jumping upon the piazza at the same moment； trod upon the paper parcel； which exploded at once with the shock； and he fell to the ground； while at the same moment the paste 〃fulminated〃 into a blue flame directly in front of Mrs。 Peterkin！
It was a moment of great confusion。 There were cries and screams。 The bells were still ringing； the cannon firing； and Mr。 Peterkin had just reached the closing words： 〃Our lives； our fortunes； and our sacred honor。〃
〃We are all blown up； as I feared we should be；〃 Mrs。 Peterkin at length ventured to say； finding herself in a lilac…bush by the side of the piazza。 She scarcely dared to open her eyes to see the scattered limbs about her。
It was so with all。 Even Ann Maria Bromwick clutched a pillar of the piazza； with closed eyes。
At length Mr。 Peterkin said； calmly； 〃Is anybody killed？〃
There was no reply。 Nobody could tell whether it was because everybody was killed； or because they were too wounded to answer。 It was a great while before Mrs。 Peterkin ventured to move。
But the little boys soon shouted with joy； and cheered the success of Solomon John's fireworks； and hoped he had some more。 One of them had his face blackened by an unexpected cracker； and Elizabeth Eliza's muslin dress was burned here and there。 But no one was hurt； no one had lost any limbs； though Mrs。 Peterkin was sure she had seen some flying in the air。 Nobody could understand how； as she had kept her eyes firmly shut。
No greater accident had occurred than the singeing of the tip of Solomon John's nose。 But there was an unpleasant and terrible odor from the 〃fulminating paste。〃
Mrs。 Peterkin was extricated from the lilac…bush。 No one knew how she got there。
Indeed； the thundering noise had stunned everybody。 It had roused the neighborhood even more than before。 Answering explosions came on every side； and； though the sunset light had not faded away； the little boys hastened to send off rockets under cover of the confusion。 Solomon John's other fireworks would not go。 But all felt he had done enough。
Mrs。 Peterkin retreated into the parlor； deciding she really did have a headache。 At times she had to come out when a rocket went off； to see if it was one of the little boys。 She was exhausted by the adventures of the day； and almost thought it could not have been worse if the boys had bee