Page:Dorothy's spy; a story of the first "fovrth of Jvly" celebration, New York, 1776.djvu/30

Rh The girls would have pressed forward, regardless of the discomfort of being jostled and pushed by the yet more eager ones, for they feared that much of the merry-making might have come to an end by the time they arrived, so slowly did their mothers walk; but to this the ladies made decided objections, and the children, greatly against their will, were forced to move at what seemed like a snail's pace in order that all the proprieties might be observed.

"It is not yet dark," Mistress Dean said soothingly when she saw the look of disappointment on Dorothy's face. "You may make certain that nothing will be done in regard to the bonfire until night has fully come." Then to Mistress Lamb she added, "Perhaps it would have been better had we gone directly home from the common; I am afraid the children may get hurt in the crush. What an enormous city New York is, to be sure."

"We might omit this portion of the sight-seeing," Mistress Lamb replied. "For my part I am not eager to see a bonfire, and Sarah's frock will be ruined if we get into another crowd."

"But we can't go home now," and there was a tone of deepest regret in Mistress Dean's voice. "The gentlemen are to meet us at Bowling Green after the festivities are over, and if we were not there they might spend half the night