“See--see, papa! what a large wheel of fire!” exclaimed Tom, “and the figure of a man in the centre.”
“A classical device of the vicar beyond all doubt. It is Ixion on a wheel encompassed by hissing serpents,” observed his father.
This conjecture was soon verified, for the vicar with his usual animation was heard to exclaim--
________“tortosque Ixionis angues,
Immanemque rotam,”
as Virgil has it.
Another shower of rockets succeeded, and the air resounded with the applause of the populace.
(Bang)--(bang)--(bang)--
“There go the marroons,” said Mr. Seymour.
The band now struck up a march, and the major completely succeeded, by having arranged different lengths of quick match, in making them explode at appropriate intervals, so as to mark correctly the commencement of each bar of the music which was performing.