"That's true, Ruth, and yet the governments of the world approve and hasten to buy the murderous inventions. There's an inventor in this state who has made a gun for this government that will throw a shell thirty miles and crash a boat into kindling wood and kill every soul on board. And now he is trying to invent one that will throw a shell one hundred miles--one that can reach from the coast of France across the English channel and rip out the heart of London!" "O how hideous!" exclaimed Ruth. "He must be a fiend incarnate; but what about the Schwarmer rocket?" "Here it goes," said Ralph. "Mamma came within an inch of having her arm gored by one of the rockets sent down from the Hill only last year. She cautioned me not to write to you about it. I thought it foolish not to; but perhaps it was right not to tell you then. Now it is different. You have grown so brave--so suddenly brave. It seems to me you are growing braver and braver every hour. It's like a miracle! Explain." Ruth's explanation set Ralph into raptures. Presently, however, she called for an explanation in turn. "There isn't much more to explain," said Ralph. "We all sat on the piazza watching the sky-rockets that were being sent up from the hill, at least the rest were. If I remember rightly I wasn't paying much attention to them. My imagination had 'crossed over'--you understand gone over the border--across the river--you see?" "Yes! yes Ralph, you foolish fellow--go on." "All at once up went a splendid rocket--ever and ever so high--'up out of sight,' papa said; but he was mistaken, for a second after it came whizzing down close by mamma's arm and crashed into the ground. Mamma was sitting very near to the edge of the veranda. If she had only been an inch nearer it would have gashed her arm frightfully without doubt. I dug the thing up the next morning and am going to keep it in remembrance of Millionaire Schwarmer." "How did it look, Ralph? I never saw one except in air; tell me." "A conical shaped piece of lead, Ruth--worse than a cannon ball, because it has a pointed end. I'll show it to you to-morrow." "We must tell the President about that and see if something can't be done before another Fourth comes to stop him from showering such things upon the town," said Ruth with decisive emphasis. Then they went to the grove and worked like heroes. Ere long there was a great army of them. Tables were spread as if by magic and laden with fowls, fruits, cakes and candies of all description. The brass band played its best music. Flags fluttered in the breeze--mottoes were every-where and over the arched entrance was the unique invitation--"A feast is better than firecrackers. Come boys and girls. Save your eyes and your pennies."