"...Once upon a '4th of July,' some time ago, so the story goes, a child went there on a picnic, held under the auspices of the First Church and the Village Cornet Band. Wandering away from the rest of the children past the camp ground into the woods, he hopes to catch a glimpse of some of the old soldiers. As he rests on the hillside of laurel and hickories, the tunes of the band and the songs of the children grow fainter and fainter; ---when--- 'mirable dictu'--- over the trees on the crest of the hill he sees a tall woman standing. She reminds him of a picture he has of the Goddess of Liberty.... she is pleading with the soldiers not to forget their cause and the great sacrifices they have made for it. But they march out of camp with fife and drum to a popular tune of the day. Suddenly a new national note is heard. Putnam is coming over the hills from the center,---- the soldiers turn back and cheer. The little boy awakes, he hears the children's songs and runs down to listen to the band and join in games and dances..."
-Charles Ives