No admission was charged to the Norwood grounds; but several of the older boys had been instructed to keep an oversight of the entire place that careless and possibly rough youngsters should do no harm. The Norwoods’, like the Drews’, was one of the show places of the Roselawn section of New Melford. Boys and girls might do considerable harm around the place if they were not under discipline.
The girls and boys belonging to the congregation of Dr. Stanley’s church were on hand as flower sellers, booth attendants, and waitresses. Ice-creams and sherbets were served from the garage; sandwiches and cake from the house kitchen, where Mrs. Norwood’s cook herself presided proudly over the goodies.
In several booths were orangeade, lemonade, and other soft drinks. The fancy costumes and the funny masks the girls and boys wore certainly were “fetching.” That the masks were the result of a joke on Chip Truro’s part made them none the less effective.
Amy was flying about, as busy as a bee. Darry and Burd were at the head of the “police.” Miss Seymour took tickets for the radio tent, and after the first entertainment, beginning at two o’clock, she complimented Jessie warmly on the success of her talk on radio with which the girl introduced the show.
The lawns of the Norwood place began to be crowded before two o’clock. Cars were parked for several blocks in both directions. Special policemen had been sent out from town to patrol the vicinity. Dr. Stanley’s smile, as he walked about welcoming the guests, expanded to an almost unbelievable breadth.
The noisy and explosive Fourth as it used to be is now scarcely known. Our forefathers did not realize that freedom could be celebrated without guns and firecrackers and the more or less smelly and dangerous burning of powder.
“Now,” stated Burd Alling pompously, “we celebrate the name of the Father of his Country with a dish of fruit ice-cream. How are the mighty fallen! A George Washington sundae, please, with plenty of ‘sundae’ on it. Thank you!”
Then he gave up twice the price that he would have had to pay at the Dainties Shop down town for the same concoction to the young lady in the Columbine skirt and the mask.
“Young Truro had it right,” grumbled Darry. “It’s a hold-up.”
“But you know you like to be robbed for a good cause,” chuckled Amy, who chanced to hear these comments. “And remember that Doctor Stanley is going to get his share out of this.”