Newbern weekly progress., 1860-05-15
WEEKLYPROGRESS.
SATURDAY MORNING, MAY u, 1860
Picnic Excursion.

baorl on everv side with the life-invigorating
breath of beautiful May morn tanning the
cbaek of innocence and youth and imparting
nav lease ON life to the aged and sinful, excur-
sion train left the New bern Depot containing
about - eouls-42 females and about 80 males
,s bannv q set as ever existed outside the slness
pracincts of Paradise Indeed the train contain
;np an much that was pure and innocent, could be
very annropriately termed paradise-though it
MIGHT be a paradise lost. Taking standing po-
sition in the coach which was about filled with
ladies-if we except few privileged lovers VINO
were permitted to sit beside or near or at the feet
of those they had in charge)-w glanced hnr-
riedly over the party taking as we did so men
tai inventory of their emotions, aHectlons' pas
sions. aspirations, &c. Every eye sparkled ana
every tongue moved with the rapidity of hight
ming, but in tones rs sweet as ever hoVereo over
the dreams of an Italian maiden or Hoated ffom
Harm or other stringed instruments whether play
ed by David or any of the other descendants OF
tba frat nair. Calico and "Shakers" 4" seemed to
be the order of the day, and stald matrons ana
rolIock1ng maidens seemed determined to put
awav for one day at least, all those meaningless
formalities and cercmonious absurdities which
have crept into and poisoned our modern society.
and 70 apply themselves and all their charms for
the happiness and well-being of others.
The train moved on, and the hour and half
roonired to reach Carolina City consumed by
the Young and thoutless in discussing those soft
and foolish nothings which are ever uppermost
1yhen mutual admiration and a desire to fatter
each other predominates all other feelings
They were happy-happy in each others COM
parIy happy in being released from the routine OF
tormalities necessary to be kept up in making or
returning " pop calls,' and happy i'll anticipation
of the Joys which the day expected to shadow
forth The elderly, the sober and more am'-
able part of the crowd, happy in being released
from domestic drudgeries and laborious toll in
yigorated by and charmed with the beauty, AMI
mate and inanimate, which everywhere met the
eye, seemed intent on good time" But the
time passed pleasantly to allespecially so to those
signing gallants who were seated by sentimental
creatures in whose inmost souls they would have
their own manages indellibly impressed and the
whistle and the brakes informed us that the City
was near. Here waited Is minutes then ta-
king up Frank" mine host of the Carolina City |
Hotel we sped on for that other City which was
christened at the baptismal font, Morehead
Here after a little negotiating between the COM
mittee and the Capt. of the Steamboat johnson,
the word was passed along to change from the
cars to the boat, and in very few minutes, in
charge of Capt. Clark and Mr.. Pender, both of
whom greeted the party cheertully and seemed to |
care for tenderly, we made a safe landing of
our entire cargo ice, lemons, music and cold pro- |
visions, at Fort Macon Arriving at the main
trance the officer in charge (whose name re- |
gret having forgotten) flung wide the gate and
bade US storm the fortress, and five minutes later
we had full possession.
Some 80 minutes being consumed in the use of
water combs, brushes and the adjustment of the
calico robes in which the ladies looked so charm
ing, Slater, assisted by two others, struck up and
the command went forth-"Partners for acoton.',
An hour or two passed in this way by those
who preferred the dance to rambles along the
beach, while others, prefering probably to exercise
the brain rather than the tee might be stroll
ing in every direction. Could the sands of that
beach or the bricks of that Fort talk, romantic
tales of heart burnings, vows made OF exchanged
and thousand and one soft words uttered into
willing and unwilling ears, when eyes looked into
that spoke again, might be brought to light great
ly to the modification of some who fingered thre-
abouts on Thursday. But the young people were |
happy, and that was the object of their pur- |
suit.
Poetry, romance, love, dancing and strolling
on the beach however could not satisfy all the
cravings of that happy party. Other things had
to be added thereunto. and while the more |
thoughtless had been in pursuit of the shudo,cs,
Mrs. c., Mrs S., Mrs. H., Mrs. T., Mrs. L., Miss
L. and others, had an eye to things more solid
and enduring land when at o'clock the order for
dinner came the entire party ushered into
one of the inner apartments at the Fort here |
table had been spread sufficiently provissoned
for at least 300 persons. All the arrangements
and appointments connected with the table were |
highly creditable to the ladies who supelintended
and arranged it and though we expressed our ad-
miration and gratitude then and there we cannot |
refrain from again acknowledging our indebted |
ness to those whose fair hands were SO thoughtful
of the balance of who were so intent on fun and
frolic that we had almost forgotten that we should
want to eat again. The table was not only
well supplied as to quantity, but the quality and
variety would have reflected credit on the hosp-
tality of any mansion in the country. To make |
it more tempting huge tub was filled to the |
brm with lemonade IN the composition of which |
big chunks of ice formed no nconsderable part |
On all future Pic Mic occasions, when we form
one of the party, want the ladies mention
ed above appointed special Committee of ways
and Means"
After dinner the music again called the devo- |
tees of Terpsichore to the foor and the time from
then till 81 o'clock spent in dancing prone |
nading, jesting, joking, singing, whistling love-
making, &c, &c. Everybody seemed to be
contented with everybody else, and ererybodu |
else didn't to for ANYBODY and so |
all was gaety and life till O'Clock when the
johnson" steamed away from the wharf with |
hats and handkerchefs waving good and |
God bless you, to the officer of the Fort