Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-09-05
The Union S. S. Pic Mic.

1t came off last Thursday, as had
been announced, and il was upon the
whole quite a successful and note
worthy affair." AS the bright hours
Of that bracing morning gided by,
parties from the country and parties
from this and other villages began to
throng our streets. They came ar
rayed in nice new coats and frocks
they smiled prettily, and they look
ed happy. Vehicles of every descrip-
ton, from the shining and graceful
barouche TO the shaggy and lugubri-
Gus lumber wagon, were prancingly
driven about, some drawn by four
horses, some by only one, and all
freighted with chatting children and
using old folks, with beaus and
bellies, with baskets and banners.
A procession was formed, and at
about a. m. it began to move, first
up and down the Lancaster streets
and to and fro therein, then off in the
direction of the pic mic grounds on
the Platteville road, four miles south
of this town. Those having the arith-
metic faculty prodigiously develop
cd, and who are supposed to have
sufficient MATHEMATICAL talent to count
well, say, 50 as to be liberal, the
largest "crowd" ever assemb led in
Grant equity, those, we are told, af-
firm that 5000 persons were that
day congregated in and about the
charming groves OF Aupperle. BE it
50. However, the actual number
was probably nearer three thousand
than twenty-five hundred. The as
semblagc has been pronounced the
largest Of the kind ever known in our
part Of the State.
Beautiful banners, inscribed with
appropriate notices and ornament
cd with tasteful devices, were held
aloft in cheering and enlightening
numbers. Eatables in quantities sut-
fcient to take off the hungry edge
Of appetite Of multitude as great as
that which toasted on tho loaves and
fishes, and Of u quality that would
have been reIished by the most fas-
tidious epicure from the days Of VII
tellius down, were brought to tho
grounds and placed upon the four
hundredfeet-long table. The cooks
ing and preparation Of the number
less good things was exceeding ex-
cellent. The important work, let it
be honestly stated, had been well
and wholesomely done, and evinced
the fact that a few American house
wives (and we know some Of their
names by hear) are quite as scien~
tiiic in their culinary operations as
need be, the trog-frying French and
the New York Tribune TO the contra
ry notwithstanding.
Everything had been arranged
with the intention Of having an out
and-out good time. The various
Sunday schools were marched about
in terrible array by gentleman bet
ter known and more highly aprreci>
ated for the purity and saint-like
simplicity Of his English, than for
his familiarity with the pomp and
circumstances of"the big wars that
make ambition virtue" His conduct
and language were both of the most
exemplary sort. The Lancaster
string band was there and enlivened
the time with music such as only
those accomplished performers can
evoke from horse hair and SO forth
Then there was plenty Of right good
singing, likewise much admirable as
as well as opposite speaking by min
listers and others, all of whom made
practical demonstration Of the fact
that brief, pithy, and pointed sayings
arc better appreciated by the child
rem, and do them more lasting
good, than all the hour-long abstract
discourses ever visited, plague-like,
upon the unoffending and detenceless
portion Of our race.
The day was one which was thor.
oughly enjoyed by all. In gear
hence the affair will probably be re-
peated Twenty-one Sunday-schools
were last Thursday represented
They were from Lancaster and all
the neighboring towns and settle
ments.