one night the brownies reached a mound

that rose above the country round.

said one, as seated on the place

he glanced about with thoughtful face:

"if almanacs have matters right

the fourth begins at twelve to-night,—

a fitting time for us to fill

yon cannon there and shake the hill,

and make the people all about

think war again has broken out.

i know where powder may be found

both by the keg and by the pound;

men use it in a tunnel near

for blasting purposes, i hear.

to get supplies all hands will go,

and when we come we'll not be slow

to teach the folks the proper way

to honor independence day."

it was not long till powder came.

then from the muzzle broke the flame,

and echo answered to the sound

that startled folk for miles around.

'twas lucky for the brownies' band

they were not of the mortal brand,

or half the crew would have been hurled

in pieces to another world.

for when at last the cannon roared,

so huge the charge had brownies poured,

the metal of the gun rebelled

and threw all ways the load it held.

the pieces clipped the daisy-heads

and tore the tree-tops into shreds.

but brownies are not slow to spy

a danger, as are you and i.

for they through strange and mystic art

observed it as it flew apart,

and ducked and dodged and flattened out,

to shun the fragments flung about.

some rogues were lifted from their feet

and, turning somersaults complete,

like leaves went twirling through the air

but only to receive a scare;

and ere the smoke away had cleared

in forest shade they disappeared.