Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-09-05

4
bachelor, we can claim without
the fear of incurred displeasure
at home the right thus to speak,
and in SO doing must yield the
palm where in our humble opinion
it rightly belongs, TRacEr.
0NTHE BANKS OF THE OPEQU0N
The picnic last Saturday even
ing at Newcomers mill was the
occasion OF rare enjoyment to all
participants. Weary OF the heat,
the din aud dust III the city, II was
suggested hy few Of the gentle
men in the morning, tlmt they
arrange picnic for that evening.
The suggestion IA happy one
was at once acted upon. aud the
consent of The ladies secured The
commits forthwith levied upon
Strausncr for his best and fastest
outfits At Il. NJ. Il group Of
gay maidens and dashing gentle
men, croquet sets, baskets, and all
were hastily checked for Newcom
er's mills, on the banks Of the Ope
qaon. The ride from the city was
a merry one. Laughter, muse
and song, intermingled with sal
lies Of sparkling wit and humor
graeed the occasion. Arriving at
this Iuvorite retreat, which the
hand of ia ure purposely marked
for picnic spot, all were In their
high .jinks, or better still, that fame
Of mind so conducive to true, gen
uine pleasure. Near by, the Ope.
quon, flushed by the recent rains,
glided swiftly on TO mingle its
miniature waters in the murmur
of the Potomac Above us the tall
olms and graceful willows floatpd
in the hazy hush Of summer kind
| ~ inviting us into their grateful
shadows. Beneath us the closely
cropped sod, green and fresh as he
grasses of spring time, wonderful
| ~ suggested reclining attitudes,
| quiet walks love and sentiment.
Off at a little distance you could
see the old mill, quaint and gray,
Indifferent to.every thing, save the
tolling out its measure of the gold
en- grain.
The rare beauty and romance of
the spot placed all under the ban of
the soft impeachment Every
laddie had his Iassie. For hours
they walked through what seemed
to them Armidia's enchanted gar
den, or that has ply valley where
| Rasselas and his sister dwelt 1t
was Johnnie the prince ofgood
fellows, who was accidentally over
heard to ask a beautiful black-eyed
girl
I" Is there within thy soul a link
| That mine cannot fulfil,
One chord that any other hand
Can better wake or still 2
Finally croquet was introduced,
when each player asserted claims
for championship and belt. The
game was lively, and contested,
with vim and vigor worthy Of a
better cause. Right here we would
add, by way Of parenthesis, that
fishing was not part Of the pro-
gramfne. This singular fact may
be accounted for by the absence of
Prof. Walton's two disciples,
Bridge, the druggist, aud Logan,
the editor. The excitement ofthe
game and the general diversion of
| the evening, closed at the am
nouncement of !" lunch" This was
a free lunch all around, and s bread
IN one solid heap, and whilst itap-
| pcased already sharpened appe-
ittes it puzzled the epicurean bach
| elors to designate the one particu-
lar fair one" that could so ex-
actly fill the bill Of his culinary
taste. That lunch How ! remem.
Der it 1t was just the thing. 1t
would be good for you TO have
been there. III ability to get up a
lunch, like that, means good wife
we have a propositions to make.
The shadows ofevening began to
lengthen apace. With a sigh of
regret, and a tear at parting with
the wild, weird witchery Of the
hour and place, we were soon ship.
shape homeward bound. An hours
ride landed the whole party in our
city refreshed and gratified with
the delights Of The trip and even
ing. Time will hobble along, and
in after years, perhaps, the melody
of Long ago. will breath, in
tones soft and clear, a fond remem-
brance of the social reunion on the
banks Of the Qpequon.
I