"It looks like a frame for drying fishes," said the old woman, who
had been born on the coast.

Ratsh! It-sh! Si-si-si-si! it said, and the old people were instantly
surrounded by fire and flames.

Great fiery globes rose up to the skies and, bursting, lit up the
night with a shower of stars; an astronomer, observing the heavens
with a telescope, might have come to the conclusion that new stars
had been born. And he would not have been altogether wrong, for
in the year 1880 new thoughts were kindled in new hearts, and new
light and new discoveries vouchsafed to mankind. Doubtless, there
were weeds, too, growing up together with the splendid wheat; but
weeds have their uses, also; shade and moisture depend on their
presence, and they will be separated from the wheat at harvest
time. But there must be weeds, they are as inseparable from wheat
as chaff is from corn.

What had puzzled the old couple, however, was a rocket frame, and
when all the smoke had cleared away--for there is no fire without
smoke--not a trace of all the magnificence was left.

"It would have been jolly to have been in town with them to-night,"
said the old woman.

"Oh, no!" replied the man. "We should have been in the way, poor
people like we ought never to push themselves to the front. And
there's plenty of time to-morrow for seeing the boy, after he has
left his sweetheart, who is dearer to him than we are."