Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-01
English Rustic SHORTS in the United States.

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A very pleasant May festival occurred on
| Saturday, at Gibbsboro', n. j., where are To-
Gated the Zinc Paint and Color Works Of
Messrs. John Lucas & Co., of Philadelphia.
. 1t was under the auspices Of Mr.. John Lucas
the senior meraber of the firm, that the cele-
bration was gotten up, all work being sus-
pepded for the occasion, in order that the
factory operatives might join with the farming
population of the neighborhood. According
" every body was out in holiday trim, and
the people came from far and near to see the
sport. Quite = charming young lass OF some
twelve or thirteen years OF age was the chosen
queen of May, and rs she sat in her bower,
crowned with q wreath of roses, she was
greatly admired. At about half past two
O'clock, n large procession was formed IN the
public road, headed by a band of music and
men, women and children, all marched to a
shady grove by the road side below the vii
lage, where the sports were to take place
Here a May pole, some forty feet in height,
and stripped clean and smooth of all its bark
had been planted, and ut one side of the ground
was a platform or rostrum, while near it
stretched a long pic HE table, heavily laden
with all the creature comforts that minister
to a healthy appetite. The Queens throne
and bower were placed at Il distance of
about one hundred yards from the May
pole, the space between the two being
kept clear for the races by a rope manned
bv efficient sentinels. Eagerly up ~ this
rope pressed the curious spectators, while
the actors prepared for the contests
First came a sack race. in which four
stout factory men participated. Each was
enyeloped in & sack up To his neck, 50 thai he
could not use his arms or legs and the whole
interval had Of course to be jumped over III
this way. After getting on a short distance
the competitors tumbled up against each
other, or fell over and vainly tried to rise
again. One shrewd fellow, however, man
/ aged to reach the goal safe, but it being found
that his sack had broken out at the bottom,
the race had to be tried over again. The
second time no one fell, each man bracing
his legs rs far apart as the sack would allow,
and thus jumping steadily. The same man
who won the first trial won also the second.
Next came the w~heelbarrow race. -Four
labOrers' barrows were manned by as many
men, whose heads were enveloped in sacks
to prevent them seeing. They started at the
signal and ran against each other, and III
all sorts of ways, except one man, who, 60
ing up at a brisk run, left all behind, and
went far vide of the goal, so that at last he
had to stop to know where he was. The
same shrewd fellow who won the sack race
proved the victor on this occasion. Follow
ing this came the pole climbing. No one
could reach the top, men and boys all vain
" essaying. One little chunk of a boy got
two thirds of the way up and then failed,
but as he beat everybody else. he was ad-
Judged the winner.
The roll and molasses eating proved to be
very funny. At either end of the elevated
rostrum stood two tall posts, with a rope
across thet0p, from which about halfa dozen
small rolls Of bread hung dangling, each by
a separate string. When the competitors
were all ready, and their hands tied behind
them, each roll was stepped in molasses, 30
that the biting at it vas fraught with the
danger of getting besmeared. The variety
of mouths opened to the view of the spectators
was quite entertaining. Each fellow bobbed
away at his roll, now catching, now missing
it, some Selling a huge bite, while others
nibblod away desperately, until their faces,
shirts and hair were full of molasses. Some
getting ferocious, seized the strings above
the rolls IN tnplT mouths, anu tOTt tuful uoNh'
But one man patiently ate all his roll, and
he was decided victor. The smoking match
took place on the front of the rostrum, and
about the same number Of competitors APP
peared, each of whom was required to smoke
two pipes at once, the one first getting through
the Job to win a handsome meerschaum pipe.
The winner of the wheelbarrow and sack ra-
ces took this prize.
About two dozen oranges were then set
aaoat in a half hogshead of water. and were
t" be the property of whoever should take
them out with his teeth, unaidcd by his
hands. The first who attempted seemed to
be an old hand at it, for he took n dozon out
successfully with the utmost ease. This ex-
cited the cupidity Of another customer who,
in his desperate endcayors to get the oranges
went into the water over head aud shoulders,
coming out like n drowned rat. Between the
two, these village SWANS bore off all the
oranges.
The winners Of the various prizes were
then taken successfully before the Queen,
and kneeling to her, received their several
awards from her hands, after which speeches
were delivered from the rostrum, and the as
semblage cheered the Queen, the %victors. Mr..
Lucas, the protector Of the merry-making,
and then adjourned to the repast at the tables.
Altogether we have seldom witnessed q more
agreeable entertainment and hope to see it
repeated and imitated.-PhH. timer.