The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-06-12
THE BAPTIST S. S. PICNIC.
A Successful Arrangement end JOY
GUS Occasion.

| IllC ltulOu EJlSlllS VI WV
and Town Creek Baptist Sunday
Schools, took place at Mulberry, last
Tuesday, and it brought together a
larger assemblage than we have seen
at any occasion of the kind this sea-
son. The number of persons pre-
sent has been variously estimated at
from four to six hundred. The man.
ayers of the affair deserve praise for
the arrangements they had provided
for the enjoyment Of MI.
The pic-nicers who we're to go
from Camden, began to assemble at
the Baptist Church, the place of ren-
devious, at an early hour, where
they were entertained with enliven-
ing music by the Helicon Band until
the time arrived for the procession
to take it's departure for Mulberry.
The wagons, hacks and other vehi-
cles we're then loaded with their pre-
cious freight of sweet little children
beautiful ladies and ugly men, and q
| line of lovelness sandwiched with
ugliness fled down our st&ets tow
ards the delightful grove that was to
witness day Of supreme happiness.
At Mulberry the Camden people
were met by the Town Greek brigade
who. like the prompt and thrifty
people they are, were on the grounds
soonest. They then mingled togeth-
er in the pursuit OF the pleasures OF
the day.
Every means of amusement had
been provided to suit the various
inclinations. Swings were suspend
ed from the trees in various parts of
the grounds, which were we'll patron
lied by both large and small, and
some of the young men had hard
work before them to keep the swings
in motion which held considerable
amount of avoirdupois as represent
ed by their sweethearts. The cro-
quet parties, as at all picnics, were
numerous, and we had the pleasure
of playing our first game. Under
the instructions of the fair ladies
who undertook to teach us, we found
the rules of the game come easy to
us, and the cheating part we acquir
ed quite naturally. A very enter
tanning feature of the amusements
was the "augur target" gotten up
by our friend Mr.. R. T. Owens. The
arrangement consisted of q huge tar
get five feet square, nalsa TO q tree.
The marksmen were placed in front
of it at distance of about thirty
feet, and blindfolded. They were
given q common carpenters auglr,
made to turn around three times and
start towards the target holding the
augur at arms length. The one COM
ing nearest to touching the bulls eye
with the augrr was entitled to the
prize. We were the first to take
hand and started for the target in q
bee line as we supposed but when
we thought we had wa far enough
we took the bandage b our eyes
and found we had missed the tree,
target and all, about fifteen feet, but
this was a good shot. in5compaison
to some others, and we marked it
with the hope that we might come
in for a prize. The way; our editor
went at it was enough to make Il
statue OF Hamlet laugh. He grasped
the augur with the determination of
ii Napoleon, turned around three
times with the grace OF Cr:chton,
and started towards 1 target like
the immortal Six Hd tcd at Bal
akIava. When Ills ey4 open
ed to the light he saw himself trying
10 bore D hole III Il wagons body about
forty feet to The lett. The ladies
who tried their skill made better
shots, for they walked in IL straight
er line 5.lan tne men, rs they always
do. During the whole time the mu-
sic from the Hellcon band tioated
over the scene, adding greatly to the
pleasure.
Towards noon the crowd assem-
bled in one place to hear some speak
ing. Our esteemed friend and for
mer associate, Mr.. W~D. Trantham,
was introduced, and had got into
the middle of a very neat little speech,
when providentia shower came up,
and he rounded off his premature
period in a graceful manner by say
ing, "Well, the rain has come and I
am glad of it, and I suppose you are
too" While the shower lasted the
crowd took shelter in the Mulberry
mansion. This gave an opportunity
to those so inclined to roam all over
this grand old mansion, and admire
| it's architecture and completeness.
When the rain had ceased the time
for dinner had arrived, which was
fortunate, for there were other gen
tlemen on the ground, celebrated for
their capacity and readiness to make
Sunday School speeches, and had
time permitted they might have
been asked to do so. -
The arrangements for the dinner
were admirable. Two long tables
were erected in a parallel line, and
loaded with good things. The chill
dren were then called up and served
first. Wher they got through the
tables were cleared of debris and
then reloaded for the grown people.
We take this occasion to thank the
Young lady who made the large