1891 July 4, Awbury, to My Dear Wife

              Awbury 7 mo. 4. 1891My Dear WifeThis has been one of the pleasantest Fourths I remember. We had a fine thunder storm last evening with some hail & a copious rain which laid the dust & today it has been as cool & bracing as a day in October. Margt Alf & I drove to the Park after dinner & saw what was well worth seeing—thousands of people all ages & conditions enjoying themselves in as quiet & rational a way as I ever saw in such a promsicuous crowd. We drove in the East Park past Rockland & Strawberry Mansion, crossed at Grand Avenue & returned by the way of Belmont Mansion & [?]. The whole way was alive with people picnicing, playing baseball & other games, children swinging, aiding donkeys, &c & all the way we saw no rude or boisterious [?] nor heard any loud voices except such as one indispensible  when games are played. I think we must have seen—besides numerious other vehicles—a thousand large wagons, furniture cars &c decorated with flags & bunting which had brought the people out from the City. It was Democracy keeping holiday in a most unexceptional manner. We did not hear a fine [?]. There was some music from the boats on the Schuykill & some singing in the boats on the Wisahicon & from some of the way on loads of girls—but all was decorous & we could not but thinking where would all this crowd have been & what would they have been doing if such a park had been provided for them. The memory of such a days pleasuring will brighten the labors of weeks—particularly to the young folks & will