Such is the condition of affairs on the terrestrial planet during life and it is not to be wondered at that the feeling would exist after the inhabitants of Pennsylvania had taken a long flight to the planet Mars.
It was the latter part of the month of June, 1917, that Jim McKinstry, Dan Francis and George W. Baxter, all formerly of Erie; Mark Luce, Ed. M. Boynton, recently from the oil section; Peter McKeever, from Pittsburgh, and some of the former Philadelphia boys met and talked over the proposition of having a good old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration on the occasion of the next Independence Day.
A number of gentlemen dropped in on the meeting from Pennsylvania, many of whom had acquired national fame and whose names are household words still on earth.
Telegraphers’ Tabernacle, on the planet Mars, was to be the place where the happy event was to take place and the usual bulletin written by a wireless wand on heaven’s bright empyrean gave notice to all of the coming event.
“I wonder how these Pennsylvanians would like to have a visit from the Chicago delegation,” ejaculated Ed. Whitford, “we have quite a formidable crowd to introduce.”
A cordial invitation was extended the Chicago delegation and any other members of the craft who wanted to come, and preparations for the entertainment were immediately begun.
Wednesday, July 4, 1917, arrived and the grounds around Telegraphers’ Tabernacle, on the planet Mars, were the scene of much merriment, the badges of the Keystone State being in evidence everywhere.
It was not what the people on Mother Earth would term a “sane” Fourth, as there was a big display of firecrackers and the like, the wish having been expressed that the occasion would be one of the “old-fashioned” kind. Conditions were changed from those on the terrestrial planet, there being nothing of a combustible or inflammatory character on Mars which might invite a conflagration.
A brass band was heard in the distance playing that old song, “We are Coming, Father Abraham, Six Hundred Thousand More,” and immediately automobiles containing the Chicago delegation began to arrive.
Among them were the following: Frank M. and Newt Crittendon, Wm. Foley, N. L. Boydston, C. H. Kelly, J. E. Zeublin, A. C. Thomas, John Boughan, P. A. Rowe, Fred Swain, W. W. Wells, J. C. Delong, A. J. Long, John D. Walker, T. P. Dudley, F. S. Kent, S. O. Bracken, Wm. Wallace, Jr., Al Baker, W. C. Ramsdell, Col. J. J. S. Wilson, W. Chapman, S. C. Mason, J. C. Springer, M. C. Bristol, C. H. Summers, G. W. Fulton, Francis W. Jones, H. C. Maynard, E. S. Patton, W. A. Leary, John A. Strong, Luke Fisher, H. G. McGill, Billy McMillen, C. M. Roebuck, Henry Tatge, J. DeWitt Congdon, Harry S. Converse, Frank W. Farley, Jeff Prentice, Earl Rudd, C. H. Haskins, C. W. Gearhart and many others, including a large sprinkling of ladies.