Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1875-07-03
For the Richland Beacon.

A'p'io"o-N III you allow
a friend of Improvement and progress
sion space in your valuable paper tC
lay before your readers some en-
couraglng signs of the times in Rich
land parish ?
BY special invitation with a frient
l attended Il meeting of Girard
Grange, and pic Aic, given bv tn,
patrons and good people Of Girard
and vicinity on last Saturday. We
were on hand in time and cordially
invited into the Grange Hall and
welcomed by Worthy Master I. f.
Lewis. My first peep into the Hal
assured me that the order is building
up there with the right material. Ii
has an efficient corps of officers. who
understand their respective duties
Worthy Master Lewis presides with
much dignity; his heart is thorough
y IN the work and the order is bound
TO flourish under his administration
/ was peculiarly struck with the
dlgn!tlrd administrative abilities Of
the Worthy Oversecr, Bro. Edwards,
ana thought that that honest face
would grace the White House at
Washington with more dignity than
the present incumbent, General Grant
hen there was the Worthy Chaplain,
Ii. L. Edwards, our present honored
representative. Who does not like
to be in honest Bob's company ?
Again the genial face of the Worthy
Lecturer made us feel ali o. X. and
the Worthy Steward made us feel
more so. The Worthy Assistant and
Worthy Lady Assistant are IN their
proper places and candidates need not
fear any mistake while they have
such aSoiduouS conductors.
The regular order of business hav.
ing been dispatched, delegates were
elected 10 attend the 9th of july Con-
Vcn;ion to meet in Monroe. Also
members were elected to the parish
"ran@r. This is an important step
and will enable the oranges of this
parish to perfect more fully a plan of
cooperation, which is one of the
fundamental ideas of the order.
After the labors Of the day had
been completed the grange was closed
IN due form, and all repaired to the
ground where the table bad been pre-
pared for the picnic. For me to
undertake to describe the edibles I'M
der which the table groaned would be
folly and beyond my power of descrip-
ton, hence the good people must
excuse me. | will only say that the
table was loaded down with all kinds
OF nice fresh meats, and fowls, bread,
cakes, pies, and tarts, from pans of
nice chicken pie that would grace the
table of an English Queen to goose
berry tarts that would have the
favorable consideration of Prerident
OF the United States. | could not
help but notice the many happy,
smiling faces, which must have mum.
bered hundreds, that were gathered
in groups beneath the beautiful shade
trees all seeming conteutei and happy
and enjoying life to the fullest extent
l took in the situation at a glace and
was lost in thought at the changes
brought about in so short a time by
the upheavel of society in the grange
movement throughout the United
States, when tap on the shoulder
and an invitation from the gentleman.
~ Steward to take his arm, aroused
me from the reverie into which had
fallen. | accepted the invitation and
was led to the table and stationed
just where everything that was good
was convenient.
After partaking of repast that
would have satisfied the most fastidi.
Gus Epicure, retreated in good STYLE
and spent couple of hours pleasant !
~ amouS kind friends. The Young
folks repaired to the house of Major |
Stafford, and there in the spacious !
hall, tripped the fantastic toe in
Ierpsechorean style. Filled with /
many pleasing thoughts and refec-
tons on the elevating and social in
iluence of the order of Patrons of
Husbandry, and also of the benign
influence exercised by the U. f. of +.
over society in Richland parish, l
returned home in company with nv
friend. We agreed that it was a day
well spent in the journey of life. Let
me say to the praise of the people of
GIrard and vicinity that did not see
one drop of spirituous liquors Gife
itself usedthat day, nor did | hear
one word that might not have been
spoken in the most refined society.
W hen the U: F. Of I. of Girard give
their picnic | bone to no IN hand