The Republican journal., 1877-09-06

The annual gathering Of the fat men at
NorWalk, Conn. on Thursday, was a jolly
affair. aS usual, Favored by fine wealth
er the heavy men assembled early on the
grounds, coming long distances and rep
rcscnting many States Of the Union. The
great chair OF the Association, made OF
hickory gnarls, artistically wrought, was
an object of interest to those accustomed
to see chairs Of ordinary size but Presi-
dent Murphy (}09) had to make only
slight efforts to cOnVmce them of the
need Of 50 stupendNlS Il structure. The
fat men from New York were taken to
Norfolk 10y special boat, and they formed
Il Jolly excursion party up the sound.
Prominent among these festive men was
Pete Reid of New York. Il cberub OF
2S1 pounds, who sang, "Meet Inc by
moonlight alone" and The bear came
over the mountain, in a mellitlouS tenor
voice, much 10 the entertainment Of his
fellows. There We're not few fat ladies
ON board, and they seemed to enjoy the
sport us i>eenly as the men who were gift
Ell with an uncommon quantity Of adipose
tissue. At the dock near Dorlan's Hotel
was an immense thrOng waiting, and the
Connecticut and Massachusetts cOntin-
gent OF fat men We're gathered to receive
the New Workers upon New England soil
and to the ample embraces of her solid
men. They then marched together to
the scales which had been placed on the
lawn, and one after the other they sub
mtteu to the test of membership. Every
member must not weigh less than 200
pounds aN0irdupois, nor be ashamed to
own it. AS well-knoWn men were tried
and found to have lost or gained during
the year, they here rallied with such i'm
pertinent remarks as "How long ye been
sick! p or "Better 90 to Colorado" or
tWeigh him after dinner" Willard Per
kins got a cheer for his 300, although Pc
ter Reid expressed the opinion that Per
llins ought to be ashamed for not making
it Il round 400 Mrs. Susie Lake OF liamp-
den proved herself Il solid woman, with
22S pounds on the scale, and Mrs. ;. X.
Burnett of NOrWalll was admitted to be
spoken in the same breath with the fat
men because she weighed 2tH. Ninety
men who We're weighed aggregated %,
1m pounds, OF an average Of 23Dl pounds
to each. A number of applicants came
to be weighed who were allowed to step
upon the scales, but We're unable to as
certain their weight, Us the weights had
been arranged only to suit persons of
more than 200 pounds, and those venture
some ones who lacked a few ounces were
numerically jecred with for their failure.
From the scales attention was turned to
the bake itself, which had been under
way for several hours. Its fragrance till
ed the air, and no one had any difficulty
about finding the spot. The fires had
been lighted at 7 o'clock. and four cords
of hard wood had been used to heat the
stoves. At | o'clock Sam Weston the
champion clam-bake manager OF the
neighbohoOd, superintendent the stacking
up on the red hot stoves of provisions
enough for Il regiment. There were no
bushels of CLANS and oysters, 300 chick
ems wrapped in cloths and laid over the
CLAIMS, 400 Holsters, 600 pounds Of blue
fish wrapped in cloths, 3 barrels of sweet
potatoes and , barrels Of white potatoes,
and to top all 1000 ears Of green corn in
the husks. This heap was covered with
canvas and then with SeaWecd, and us
the steam rose through the mass there
escaped odors that sharpened the appe-
tites of the eXcurSionists, and made the
fat men impatient for the word to be Civ
en- for removing the cover At u: 30 it
was ready, but not until 2 o'clock We're
the tables filled, and the mass Of fish, fowl
and vegetables disturbed. The dinner
was eaten in the open pavilion before the
hotel, and was at first Il rather exciting
scamblc for everything by everybody.
But there was more than enough for all,
and those who came last Jared best. For
one hour or more the fat men, the exceed
ngly fat ones, emptied pan after pan of
the bake, and filled up other pans with
the refuse shells of CLANS and Holsters.
But while the fat men did nobly, it was a
singular fact that the thin men in the
| party were much better eaters, and rails
ed the highest heaps Of refuse in quicker
| time than the fat men.