Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-09-04

DEAR CHBoxzcLE:--As the dull
season" is upon you, / send the follow
ing scraps Of news, gathered here and
there, thinking that I might, perhaps,
interest few Of your many readers.
The picnic given blythe Good Temp
lars at Shiloh Church. Saturday. Aug.
18th, was, not the zgrand iete that we
had anticipated. @Fhere we're not more
than two hundred people present. The
Order numbered about seventy-fve, L
suppose. At about II o'clock m. the
lecturer, T. W. Haley, of Nashville,
was introduced to the audience. While
he could not in any serse be considered
as an orator-neyer at any time rising
to eloquenee or pathos-though his
theme teemed with both. yet apparent
ly he is an earnest and emphatic speak
.er, and said many things that are, alas,
too painfully true His speech con-
sisted painly ofan explanation of the
aims and objects of the great temper
ance movement. and recital Of the
evils of iatemperance. the crimes that
it has produced, If enormous sums
that are annually .,fyi. a upon its be-
sotted dsEotees, that. IN short, it was
the fruitful source and prolific parent
of every species Of iniquity and i'm
morality known in the blackeDed an
nails Of crime. His lecture lasted for,
perhaps, an hour, after which dinner
was announced. when the crowd par
took of a sumptuous repast, prepared
by the kind-hearted citizens of the
neighborhood.
Having finished our dinner and
standing idly by. observing the differ
ent phases of human nature--a delight
iul study to us-we observed one young
man, well known to us-butw we refrain
from giving his name-with both hands
filled as full as possible, containing
about three days rations for common
men," consisting of mutton, shoat,
chicken, pies, custards, cakes, pickles,
etc., etc. Some one, pointing in the
direction where so much food was
heaped together, inquired, What
young gentleman is thst?" We stood
as mute as a statue aud as silent as the
grave. Presently after gentle tap on
the shoulder reminded us that some
one wished to communicate something
of importance We turned, and were
again asked. -"Whoi is hep I'VE do
not know, sir, was our laconic reply.
Being agair apnrpaehed BY an old gray
headed ''pater familiasf tYho probably
had become alarmed lest provisions
might be scsrce), and anticipating his
business with us, We blandly smiled
and mildly replied, I'VE are not ac-
quainted with the gentleman, sir, but
presume he's from Dickson" The old
gentleman responded, Il reckon so,
judging how he hides grub"
Dinner over, the crowd was request
ed to again seat themselves, when the
Rev. Mr.. Deasons was introduced to
the audience. Being atthattime more
charmingly entertained by the witty,
lively, beautiful and accomplished
Miss II, we did not hear the remarks
of-the learned and eloquent divine, but
suppose that W. P.-who seemed all
attention-could give them in full.
Leaving these kind and good heart
ed people, to whom are due our warm
est thanks for their many kind and
courteous attentions, and casting one
long and lingering glance upon thefair
and lovely Miss -, whose sweet
smile so brightly shines through her
pearly teeth, we find ourselves on Sat-
urday, August 2lst, at Prewitt's Spring,
| where the beauty and chivalry of old
Montgomery are gathered together to
enjoy the enhancing pleasures of a
picnic and bran dance, gotten up by
the young gallants of that vicinity, who
do not seem to care for hard times.
The place for the dance was as lovely
as could be found anywhere in all
natures wide domain, enclosed on
either side by gently sloping hills,
whose sides were covered with natures
most beautiful carpet-a soft, smooth.
velvety moss !, here the oak roaring its
majestic head. there the beech casting
forth its wide-spreading branches,
forming living canopy of green, ad-
mitting just enough of the suns rays
to form little golden plats upon the
green svsrd beneath. Up the valley.
4 some hundred yards distant, bnbbled
| forth the spring whose sparkling waters
murmured and rippled Ger their peb-
bly, bed as they flowed silently on to the
far distant sea, mingling their soft
strains with the delicious music dis
coursej by the "Barbee boys" Going
! under the arbor, the first thing that