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262 HIS SAYINGS.XXI.THE FOURTH OF JULY.UNCLE KEMUS made his appearance recently withhis right arm in a sling and his head bandaged to thatextent that it looked like the stick made to accompanythe Centennial bass-drum. The old man evidently expectedan attack all around, for he was unusually quiet,and fumbled in his pockets in an embarrassed manner.He was not mistaken. The agricultural editor was thefirst to open fire :" Well, you old villain ! what have you been up tonow?"" It is really singular," remarked a commencementorator, " that not even an ordinary holiday a holiday,it seems to me, that ought to arouse all the latent instinctsof patriotism in the bosom of American citizenscan occur without embroiling some of our most valuablecitizens. It is really singularto me that such aday should be devoted by a certain class of our populationto broils and fisticuffs."This fine moral sentiment, which was altogether animpromptu utterance, and which was delivered withthe air of one who addresses a vast but invisible audienceof young ladies in white dresses and blue sashes,seemed to add tothe embarrassment of Uncle Kemus,and at the same time to make an explanation necessary.