Show first fira 4 6 glorious ul an 1 orious fourth i how it was celebrated in the city 11 of brotherly love pennsylvania ENN SYLVANIA so rich in historic buildings has the honor of 0 being the birthplace of the first fourth of july celebration not many miles from the heart of the quaker city there stood un til tit recently the beautiful colonial house where the signers of the dec la lar atlon ration of In depend enco wen event i to lu celebrate unfortunate V the hand of commercialism m grabbed beautiful elm hill mansion at no 1215 frankford avenue and uprooted it raising on the site of a modern apartment house in the once beautiful garden sur twinkle forth their right to T tile 1 and the moon sailed high the tree tops it is said that mild sober frank tin actually sent a knowing wink at stately jefferson who responded by reaching under the table and its fishing I 1 out one of those mysterious bund bundles es which had bad earlier in the evening aroused the curiosity of the host amid a silence of breathless expects tion the string was untied and a pack age of huge roman candles came to view cheer after cheer drowned the music of the crickets and katydids and startled the feathered song who had long ago hushed their songs and were peacefully sleeping in the treetops skyrockets firecrackers pin wheels red yellow and purple lyghts lights in short every then known variety of fireworks followed the homan roman F pa I 1 N LYN I 1 where the F fourth of july was celebrated founding rounding this property which during the revolution m a as owned by dr enoch edwards a noted patriot the first public celebration of the declara tion of independence took place on the even ng of july 8 1776 if musty records of ye olden times are to be believed several of the party wended their way through the shady avenues and across the smooth lawn to the ivy covered summer house with strangely shaped mysterious looking bundles tucked under their arms arns which they placed carefully upon the ground as they sat contentedly down to do J stice to the bountiful spread which their hospitable host had pro vided rare old wines and choice viands of evera description were brought forth As the delicate mor sels sets disappeared and course after course was brought on the party warmed up to the oc aaion when the stars commenced to candles and each fresh package brought forth another three times three when all 11 was in readiness the first glorious fourth ever held in amer ica lea in the now regulation firework fashion was commenced how ilow these rockets etc were secured or where they came from is unknown As each rocket shot skyward as each blast of exploding powder rent the echoes these makers of history laughed ap and shouted with delight the celebration was continued away into the wee mee small hours of the morn ing and although glorious fourths have hane followed this first jub ilee which was mas held on the ath of july 1176 never has there been a greater display of patriotism never has there been more true american ism expressed than there was on that birthday |