Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-06-16

one who looks abroad upon the 1alr nelds
of waving grass and grain. And the
men who have done all this are Germans
or the children of Gerrnaas- the men
who have made Lancaster county the
garden of the State are Gmmans-and
they are proud, in a country where all
are from foreign stock, of their descent
And they are proud, too, in their reten-
ton of the festivals and holidays in their
fathers bequeathed them. They are
proud in their celebration Of
WHITsUNTIDE
But they are peculiar in their observ-
ance of it. How "times have changed
since fifty years ago." as tle song has
it, and the peculiarities of he celebra-
ton of the season in Lancaster county
have also suffered change in half GEN.
tury. If the memory of the elders
among the Germans there may be trusted,
the custom was-we speak f fifty years
since-for the surrounding country, near
and far, to flock to Lancaster town on
Whit-Monday, and in a grand jollifca-
tion-a feast of good thing. the cakes
and candies of the shops, q marching
hither and thither through the streets,
linked arm in arm, eating each couple
or trio or quartette of the same huge
gingerbread, an attendanceat the year
ly fair, viewing and purchasing the gay
things, the ribbons and the breastpins-
celebrate the day accordinslto their ira
ditions, clear their conscieuces of duty
in this respect by clearing their throats
with shouts and songs, and wash down
friendly salutation from the pewter
bowl.
This they used to do, andimore. They
were economical in those days. More
than one ancient of them will remember
how they walk to town, AID walk bare
foot; walked through the dust and mud
men, women, and childrel together
and only when on the edge Of tn e place,
within sight of the town hail. encased
their feet in the carried shoes and stock
ings. This is not their wont now. They
would not do such thing now. After
barefooted slow pedestrianism came quick
They still came to town.
And they now come. They came yes
terday. But'now they have grown rich,
waxed fat, and d;sdained even the saddle.
When they appeared yesterday.
GREAT THRosG
the streets, filling this historic
Centre Square" swarming the hotels.
lhe country taverns-a grea! throng from
The hills and the valleys, and the plains
too yes. twenty miles away-a multi
tude that pressed in every shop door,
and kept every happy shopkeeper busy.
They appeared in carriagts-carriages
brought them-buggies, and phstons,
md reckaways. Not one came on foot;
not one on horseback. Avehicle it must
De-the mode of conveyances. And
what multitude of them. Why, on
every street of the town they stood in
ong lines, fairly blocking the highways,
stretching three or four blocks from any
particular stopping Understanding
here, packed pole under body, hard
against each other, the horses all taken
out and taken away. TAKEN where
Where is stable-room in Lancaster city
or all the horses of Lancaster county
Where? Somewhere, for you don't see
hem. Room has been found for them
Walk into the vast stables
If the tavern-stables the extent of
which you wonder at-built for just |
uch occasions hundred after hundred I
tailed and INSTALLED, the harness unre-
moved, ready for hasty start and each
me numbered. You had already no.
iced that each wagon vas numbered
rou know now the reason. Now out of
he stable, again HA I
yeE UPON THE sTRRET. a
What sight encounters the eye Of the
tranger The multitude, which the
own knows but once year-we have
.lready mentioned that. But its com
position Bonnie lasses, fresh and charm
ng as roses, yet wet with The dews ofthe
dressed in their bsst, their ap-
,earance exciting in the bosom an unex-
,lained thrill. tripping like deer over the
lard pavements-the unacclstomed bricks
.urt them-.gazing in the wndows, laugh
us in tones as clear as the kylark's and
on you like adden flash
These are the girls Of Lancaster county |
.ome to the celebration of Ehitsuntide in
own. And the lads-theyo are along
Tall strong, stalvart-bone there. muscle
here; nothing weak. They can strike
Is their horses kick. A look at them
you'd carry dismay to any PHYSICIANS
oul, For medicine they have asupreme
They never. need it. When
hey die they die without it-ju,t drop
If, at ripe old age, like ripe fruit from
heir own trees. And the older folks are
With them, to keep them straight in that
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