Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1851-09-27
tsrrIto ntu II g .
Simon spriggins at a Pic Mic.

nate, for my enjoyment consisted in a series of
trials and tribulations. Our society was to
make pic-nic-and it was to be in beauti-
full grove, and Mrs. Spriggs declared that we,
that is to say Mrs. Spriggs, three little Spriggs-
es and myself-for although l am acknowl-
edged by the world TO be the head of the
family, l am always placed at the other end
when the familyis counted up-should attend !;
l demurred; said couldn't bear the expense !;
couldn't leave business; and brought forward
all the excuses could manage to think of
but she, dear good soul, looking me full in the
face and pointing her delicate finger directly
towards my left eye, said, emphatically
Simon Spriggs, you will go to the picnic
! Do you think I'll belong to the society and be
SO mean as to stay away from the picnic p
not l. "
But the children, my dear aa
The children shall go'
| felt that the thing was settled, and made
arrangements accordingly, inwardly hoping
that if there was any rain in the clouds, it
would come down just exactly on the morning
appointed. .f #a
| The eventfui morning arrived, and as the
clock struck five l was reused by my dear wife,
with the exclamation ,
'Oh, DEAR it rains' 4l.a si
Thank heaven' was my fervent response.
However, we were soon up, and confess the
tears OF the little SPriggses affected me some
But, as has always been my luck, about six
O'Clock the clouds rolled away, and the sun
shone out beautifully. Mrs. Spriggs was all
smiles, and exerted herself with all the ener-
gy she possessed. The provisions were bas-
keted, the children washed, and the cars were
to start at 81 O'Clock. precisely, so the minis
ter said was not allowed to put nv head
out of doors. for fear as Mrs. Sprigos said, 4
should be too late at o'clock left my qui-
ct home, with baby on one arm and bas-
ket on the other, followed by Mrs Spriggs,
and the two elder Spriggses. I didn't dare
to look up, for fear of meeting some one /
should not wish to behold in my present stu
alton, but threaded my way to. the depot, and
was soon deposited, with my precious burden
in the caT. Hardly had got seated, when
voice, which sounded familiar in my ear,
screamed, Mr.. Spriggs,' and in moment my
wife appeared in sight. r..-lg II
There, as live, if you amt in the wrong
car That amt oar pic-nic,-get out here,
that's the Universal picnic 7a
4 hastened out, for the young ladies were
already snickering but il was no easy matter,
with baby and basket, to make my way thro'
the crowd Finally I got a sight at Mrs
Spriggs's pink bonnet, and if in my endeayors
to overtake her, | knocked over half dozen,
certainly deserved to be forgiven. found
our picnic party. and was again quietly seat
ed But my trials weIe just beginning The
darling babe was getting hungry, and Mrs S.
had gone into the next car 20 see Mrs Brown,
who was one of the Arrangement committee
half dozen roguish boys had been eyeing
| my baskets as much as to say, leave EN- if
you dare and little Tommy was screaming at
the top of his voice.
Didn't your wife come, Mr.. Spriggs?' ask
ed a lady on the seat behind me- / was mad
mad to think woman should ask if | was
! such fool as TO be out there with a six months
old babywithout its mother. I had enough
to do, though. and considering I couldn't give
her civil answer, didn't answer her at all,
but busted myself in trying to still the 'darl-
| ing babe However, it wasn't any use of try
ing-and l verify believe, under similar cir
cumstances, there was not man in the would
have done it. | persuaded boy to call my
wife, and she-affecti9nate creature as she is
said he would come in few minutes
Did you ever, reader, under peculiarly trying
circumstances, wait few minutes. Don't they
seem like hours? The big drops ofsweat roll
ed down my cheeks, snd confess Mrs s.
Looked not more lovely on her wedding day.
than when the light of her countenance beam
eG through the door of the car The babe
was stilled in moment. and wiping my brow,
l prepared myself for the enjoyment of sur
veying the surrounding country, but one look,
and Mrs Spriggs exclaimed-'Where is the
children?' ....e..s ...,
Sure enough had been so busy with the
babe that l forgot for the moment that there
1 were other children in the world. Mrs Sprggs
began to cry-'the children were left, or, per
! haps crushed to beneath the cars' Now !
can't endure to see woman cry-there's an
lagony about it that goes to my very heart
strings-I commenced search. and as good
hearted maiden lady had taken them under
her protection, they were restored to their an
xious mother, just as the juveniles began to
sing out, Here we are! Here's the grove 7
We were politely informed that there were
two paths to grove, one of which was through
the woods, and the other by sandy lane
we will go through the woods, nv dear,
said Mrs. Spriggs, it will be so much cooler
besitated but it was no use-Mrs S. said
through the woods, and with baby and basket
4 | started on manfully. The woods were dense
and the thick underbrush hardly passable fol
women, except those who wore .Bloomers,
consequently was brought to halt by Mrs. S
at every rod: Stop Simon, how in the world
do you expect woman to walk so fastin sucl
q place as this7 We travelled on till my leg.
and arms groaned for aresting place; Mrs S
was nearly exhausted, and still there was ne
sign Of the beautiful grove We were in