Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-08-13
OLD FOLKS AT HOME.
Anniversary Picnic at Bartlett Sta
ton.
An Immense Gathering of Young and
Old.

4 EIAN. IL tuLtltAs "a 4 II ~ -
pass. any of their former festivals.
Several thousand old and young iolks,
of every age and size, rom CITY
and the surrounding country were
/ nrasent. At an early hour in the
morning, trains commenced running
st half hour intervals, and every car
was literally crowded with the youth,
! beauty and fashion of the city, accom-
panied by stately matrons and digni-
bed fathers. Carriages and vehicles,
filled with people, together with
horses, mules and all sorts of convey
ances, lined each road leading to the
grounds where the Picnic was to be
held. A shady grove of stately oaks
had been selected for the festival, a
stand erected for the musicians and
speakers, sawdust spread owe the
dancing arena, seats arranged for the
spectators, water and ice prepared to
allay their thirst, and everything that
could possibly contribute to their COM
fort was arranged for the occasion.
The day was magnificent, some
what close and sultry, but fieecy clouds
/ Obscured the MONDAY sun and SOf-
| tened his heating rays. After the
midday train arrived, Mr.. Geo. r.
Powell, Chief Marshal Of the day,
commanded silence, and Col. G.. d.
| Mclean, President of the Old Folks
/ Association, assembled the platform
upon which was already seated his
venerable associates. Bowling to the
audience, he said:
On the 2lst of last july we met upon
these grounds to participate in Our
usual annual festival. Rain
poured down upon US then,
dampening our costumes as well as
our feelings; and though the occasion
vas a joyous one, yet under the cir
cumstances it was somewhat ludi-
crOus, and some of Is went home
with ruffied tempers. Now the day is
beautiful, and promises TO continue
so, and / promise you a day of feast
ing and Joyous pleasure. We are
proud to welcome and greet so many
of YOu-the young ladies in particu-
lar-GOd bless them-and we are glad
to let them know that, as Daniel
| Webster Once said, " we still Lives"
that We are yet supple and active, and
! able TO wait upon them and exhibit
our gallantries. Some one has said
that once there was silence In heaven
for half an hour, but it was before any
ladies got there. 1 think the author
Of that remark an impious reprObate,
and do not believe he told the truth.
/ am satisfied you viii all keep silence
while Gen. Wright delivers the ora
ton; and making this request, / now
have the honor of introducing the or
atOr OF The day, Marcus j. Wright.
Gen. Wright stepped forward and
-,H1 W. hnw-n. a--nv.L1DI Lnra4a 1owr -,
celebrate the anniversary Of tie society
Of "Dld Folks at Home" a society
which was organized in the year 1857,
having for its objects, among other
things, "tO rescue from Oblivion the
past history Of our county and city,
and preserve and cQllfct the memories
of the earlier and later lives Of the
hardy and reverend pioneers who
came here TO WOO from the wilderness
our present heritage, and to transmit
from sire to son authentic and reliable
records Of the events SThleh, in the
past, have characterized our piCSSress,
and the names and virtues of those !
who have devoted their energies and
talents TO the development of our re-
sources; and TO cultivate among their
Successors the genial good feeling |
which should exist among those who |
WerG the common sharers of the pri- |
VatiOns Of IN early border life.i'
Dir. Bancroft, in his admirable his
tory, concludes that one Of the Chick
asaw Bluffs is the point where DeSoto
hTst set foot on the banks of the Missis-
sippi. We, in adopting this theory, |
can and may with good reason suppose
that that point is where the city of
Memphis nov stands. Three centuries
ago, then, we G6a look with imagina-
ton and behold theaWie, curiosity and
fear with which the red man of the
forest "a struck on behOlding DesotO
and his Spanish warriors, clad in Eu-
vestments and armOr, moving
in sOeinp procession to the banks of
the great Father of Waters" The
historian informs us that at this time
the country was suffering greatly for
want of rain, and that the chief of the
Indians. accompanied by his PRINCIPAL
warriors, approached DeSOtO and told
him that inasmuch as they (the Span
were 90 much superior to thel
Indians ia proves and arms, that the
God Of the Spaniards must be better
than the God of the Indians. They
besOught him that he would
pray 70 the God of the p~alefaces to
send them rain, for their fields were
parched for want of moisture. DeSOto
that although he and his fol-
overs We're sinners, yet they would
s1pplieate their God, the Father of
AeEcies, to show mercy unto them.
IN the presence of the Indian chief
ain, DeSOtO then ordered his carpen-
-er to cut down one of the largest and .
trees in the forest, and fashion ,
{ in the shape of a EfGss. This was
'oon done, and it was placed on the
of n Of the highest points In the
DeSotO then ordered that 5
vi, both Spaniards and Indians, should |
DIN in a solemn procession to the cross, {
nhe chief of the Indians walked side {
" side with DeSotO;- before them z
vent a choir of priests and friars
.hanting the litany, while the soldiers =
espOnded. The procession, in which +
we're more than a thousand persons. I
,paniards and Indians, moved slowly I
nd sOlemnly along until it arrived s
ief0re the cross, where all sank upon q
heir knees. Two or three prayers r
now offered up; they then arose, t
nd, two by two, approached the holy Y
mblem, bent the knee before il and q
Used It. On the river and the ODpO- il
tie shores were collected 5000 or 90 n
% savages of both sexes and all ages, O
in wonder ut this strange and 5,
npOsing ceremony. WHITTIER arms r,
Xtended and their hands raised they N
'atehed every movement of the Span Il
lrds; ever and anon they raised their "
yes TO heaven, and made signs with fl
heir faces and their hands, as if ask r,
" God to listen to the Christians al
Then would they raise a low Il
nd Wailing cry, like people in eXceS- al
grief, echoed by the plaintive "
lurmur of their children's voices. Ia
and his followers were moved e.
tenderness to behold in a strange
nd heather land asavage people wor- h,
ripping with such deep humility and a
'ars the emblem Of our redemption. n,
the same order the procession re- 7,
Irned, the priests chanting forth Te %
'eHia LdudQDllS, and with this closed ~
le sOlemnities Of the day. "GOd, in e
g mercy says the Spanish cbroDi- -
er, " willing to show these poor, ig- :,
heathens that He listeneth to Y
those who call upon Him in truth, No
at down in the middle of the ensu- 10
e night a plentiful rain, which made NJ
the waste places and gave great W.
TO the Indians" W
The Indian chieftain with his war III
Ors, astOnished and Oyerioved at this RI
lhOped-iOr blessing, formed a process ~
m In imitation oF4L. ms ~ "