Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-20
VOL. v.

more experience, good servants, and above al
plenty to do with
How Fortunate said Myrtila Cheston
that Mrs. Quimby left MS this morning. Thil
last visit has been so long that l think she will
scarcely favor us with another in less than tw,
or three weeks. hope she will not hear tha
the picnic is to be on our place.
There is no danger'-replied Cheston-
Aunt Qumby cannot possibly know any of tn,
persons concerned in it, And besides, me
her to-day in the street, and she told me tha
she was going to set out on Wednesday fol
Baltimore, to visit Billy Fairfowl's sister Mrs
Bagnell; ALSO said she. it will take me
from this time to that to pack nv things, as
never before went so far from home, and dare
say | shall stay in Baltimore all the rest of the
fall don't believe when the Bagnells once
have me with them they'll let me come away
much this side of winter.
q sincerely hope they will not'-exclaimet
Albina-'l am glad that Nancy Fairfowl has
married a Baltimorean. trust they will make
their house so pleasant to Aunt Quimby thai
she will transfer her favor from US to them.-
You know she often tells us that Nancy anG
herself are as like as two peas both in looks
and ways; and from her account Johny Bag.
nell must be third pea, exactly resembling
both of them
And yet'-said Cheston-' people whose
minds are of the same calbre do not always
assimilate as well as might be supposed
When too nearly alike, and too close to each
other, they frequently rub together so as to
CRATE exceedingly
We will pass over the intervening days BY
saying that the preparations for the picnic par
ty were duly and successfully made; the
arrangement of the ground being undertaken
by Captain Cheston and Leutenants Delham
and Lonsgrave, and completed with the taste,
neatness, and iudicious arrangements, which
always distinguishes such things, when done
by officers, whether of the army or of the
navy.
The appointed Thursday arrived. 1t was a
lovely day, early in September the air being
of that delightful and exhilerating temperature
that converts the mere sense of existence into
pleasure. The heats of summer were over,
and the sky had assumed lis mildest tint OF
blue. All was calm and cool and lovely, and
the country seemed sleeping in luxuriant re-
pose. The grass, refreshed by the August
rains, looked green as that of the emerald
isle; and the forest trees had not yet began to
wear the brilliant colors of autumn, excepting
here and there maple whose foliage was al
ready crimsoned. The orchards were loaded
with fruit, glowing in ripeness; and the buck
their honied fragrance. The rich flowers of
the season were in full bloom. Birds of beau
tiful plumage still fingered in the woods, and
were warbling their farewell notes previous to
their return 10 more southern latitude. The
morning sunbeams danced and glittered on the
blue waters of the broad and brimming Della
ware, as the mirrored surface reflected its
green and fertile banks with their fowery
meadows, empowering groves, and modestly
elegant villas.
The ground allotted TO the party was an open
space in the woodlands which ran along an ell
evated ridge looking directly down on the noble
river that from its far-off source in the Cats
kill mountains, first dividing Pennsylvania from
New York and then from New Jersey, carries
It's tributary stream the distance of three hun
ly bay whose last waves are blended with the
dark-rolling Atlantic. Old trees of irregular
and fantastic forms, leaning far over the water,
grew on the extreme edge of this bank and
from its steep and crumbling side protruded
their wildly twisted roots, fringed with
long fibres that had been washed bare by the
gray sand that margined the river. Part of an
old fence that had been broken down and car
ried away by the incursions of spring freshet
still remained, at intervals, along the verge Of
the bank; and the ladies had prevailed or
Captain Cheston not to repair it, as in its ruin
Gus state it looked far more more picturesque
that if new and in good order. In clearing thi:
part of the forest many of the largest and fnes
trees had been left standing, and beneath theil
shade seats were nov disposed for the compa
n.y. In another part OF the opening, long Ia
] 1 - ! L H., &C
structed of colors brought from the Navy Yard
and gracefully suspended TO the wde-spreading
branches of some noble oaks; the stars and
stripes of the most brilliant flag in the world
blending in picturesque elegance with the
green and clustering foliage. At little dis
tance under group of trees whose original
forms were hidden beneath impervious masses
of the forest grapevine, was placed side
table for the reception of the provisions a:
they were unpacked from the baskets
and clear shady brook which wandered
near, ripping over bed of pebbles on it:
way down TO the river, afforded an unlimited
supply Of water clear as diamond spark ant
made an excellent refrigerator for the wine
bottles.
Most of the company were to go up in the
early boat purposing to return in the evening
by the railroad. Others, who preferred max
ing their own time, were to come in carriages
As soon as the bell of the steamboat gave no
tice of her approach, Captain Cheston with hi
wife and sister, accompanied by Lieutenant