The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-09-06

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Pic nicing may be d,fned as the pursuit of
pleasure under difficulties, and the chase Is not
often q success The pleasure-hunters meet
and 20 to cover in hopeful mood, but the
quarry, like an evasiye fox, lodges them at
every turn, aud the sportivc crew, after an un.
satisfactory field day, return tired and disguised
20 their homes, vowing inwardly that they will
never be caught in such q scrape again. This
is the rule, and although. like other rules, it
has its exceptions, they a~e so rare that the
man or woman who has once participated in a
really delightful picnic had better decline all
future invitations to festivals of that class
The chances of obtaining "jamboree" hand at
euchre, and of assisting at tuo unexceptionable
pic-nics, are about equal
The frequent failure of these preconcerted
attempts ut ofhand merrment are various
As pic mic parties are usually large and promis.
cuous, two or three constitutional grumblers
generally figure in the crowd. Why such be-
inrs are invited is more than we can say. They
are as much out of place at a tete champetre as
q hearse would be at a wedding The skulls
and crossbones paraded at the banquets Of
ancient Egypt could not have been more
Objectionable to the jolly Ptolomies than such
contcntless creatures are to all Christians with
ioyi.l souls. We would much rather sit cheek
Nv iovl with silent deaths head than beside
man or woman who habitually makes the
worst of everything. Yet we must do the pro.
fessional fault finders the justice to say that
they enjoy their pic mic. 1t affords them plau.
sible opportunities for croaking Nevertheless,
we would rather listen to the frogs. Young
mothers, with cherubs at the breast, have but
too often mania for pastoral festivities. They
think the sylvan air good for their offspring,
and, not being democratic in their instincts,
sacrifice the greatest good Of the greatest
number for the supposed benefit OF Insignificant
and fretful minorities. We respect the natural
affection of youthful mothers, and perfectly
adore babes-in their proper sphere. But
over-heated infancy in the grove is apt to roar
somewhat louder than sucking dove. Among
the various voices Of nature, this specimen Of
the Ghuman various" Is not the sweetest We
prefer the music Of the festive screech.owl.-
About two weeks ago we did picnic at which
there were three wingless cherubim, the eldest
of whom had only seen two and half sum-
mers. And oh! if there be an elysium on
earth, we didn't see it on that occasion. Those
babes bore no moral resemblance to the blessed
twins that lay down hungry in the woods to
sleep their long Sleep and were furnished with
vegetable bed clothes by the plying robins
Quite the reverse. Besides their cherubimic
disposition to cry continually, there is another
reason why infant picnicers are drawback on
festive tstes: they inevitably draw the inosqui.
toes.
A pic mic is, in fact, a penance incog-a nui-
sance under an assumed name. 1t is said that
fools make feasts and wise men eat them. But
the adage does not apply to pic-nics:: That
simpletons get them up is true, but wise men
do not banker after them. II Solomon ever
tried tete champstre in the olive groves of
Judea, depend upon it one experiment sufaced
him. Not Sheba herself could have induced
90 knowing fellow to repeat it. Perhaps it
was while returning. fatigued, bored, and be.
draggled, from his first and only picnic, that he
whispered to his favorite concubine, Cali is
vanity."-N. Y Sunday Times.