The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-06-12
The Picnic at Mulberry.

uuty lOI US W Cel Ill IL IIlIHllu way
what happens at these pleasant af-
fairs. We report it for those who
were not present, so that they may
form a truthful idea of all the
pleasures that were enjoyed. If we
were to exaggerate, those who were
there would know it, and our repu-
tation might be injured.
With this Introductory, we will
proceed to state that the picnic given
at Mulberry last Thursday was in
deed a pleasant affair. 1t was purely
undenominational and altogether
lovely. The ride to the grounds was
as pleasant as such rides usually are,
and rs each wagon, loaded with its
precious freight, filled through the
streets of our ancient town they pre-
sented bouquets of loneliness charm
ing to behold. OF course, there
were young gentlemen in the wagon,
and they served as kind of rough
back ground to more fully develop
the beauty of the ladies. In this
manner, and with this appearance,
we arrived safely at Mulberry.
No better place for Il pic mic could
be found in all our country than
Mulberry. It's majestic oaks, whose
wide-spreading boughs cast their cool
shade over grassy lawns, make it a
spot both picturesque and delight
ful. There We're elegant croquet
grounds, handsome walks for gene
raj promenade, convenient seats for
the weary, and cosy hooks for lovers.
All these places were patronized by
the different parties as best suited
their inclinations. We were promis-
cuous in our tastes, and enjoyed
them all. We forgot that the hand
of Time had been laid heavily and
frequently upon us, and we desported
ourself like unto young man. We
left it to our senior to support the
dignity of the establishment, and he
sustained it well. 1t may be because
he was boss of the committee of ar
rangements, and felt the awful re-
sponsibility of seeing that everybody
should get enough to eat. An rnin-
terupted flow of pleasure filled the
hours that were passed before DINNER.
When the time to eat had arrived,
our senior sent out couriers with in
structions to scour the woods and val
leys and tell the duets, the trios, the
quartettes and the chorrlses to come
| to dinner It.took some time to get
them all up. The choruses, quar-
tettes and trios came quickly, and
looked like they had an appetite to
do Justice to the occasion; but the
duets came reluctantly, and looked
like they were not hungry nohow.
However, at last those with and those
without appetites were arranged
around the feast, and, after the bless
ing, the business began. It was then
for the first time that the little Judge
was missed. 1t was discovered that
he had not come, and the curiosi
ties of the occasion were consequent
| ly lost. We were deprived OF the
chance of seeing a little fellow eat
more than he weighed. But the pop
ular salesman was there, and If ne
had not been such q big fellow, he
might have taken the judges place.
After every one else had finished
their dinner, q crowd gathered
around and gazed with amazement
wniie .he devoured the miscellaneous
eontents of very large dish. This
he did most gracefully, and the
,wner of the dish is also minus that
article of crockcry. The deeds OF
heroes by poets numbered are all
laid gently IN the shade by a girl
who weighs one hundred, and drank
,llrec quarts of lemonade, out OF "
three pound peach can. This was
$50 an incident Of the dinner, and
we here note it. Our senior did not
eat much at dinner, but then he had
been setting the table for three hours,
which accounts for his loss OF appe-
tite. With a kindness worthy OF all
thanks, all the grmgers were placed
at particular spot reserved Tor us,
and we were consequently very hap
py. Our tallest esteemed did not
appear to enjoy his dinner much,
but we could not tell whether it was
because he was duet, or because
there were only twenty seven cans
of salmon there, and somebody else
got one of them.
AS we said at the beginning OF
this article, we wanted to be truth
full, and for that reason we here state
that there was no catfish stew to be
seen, nor never has been at any pic
mic we have attended, and yet our
senior was happy.
A good dinner is a great promoter
of good spirits, so, after it was
ovre, there was a general scattering
around, and the pleasures Of the day
were resumed with increased zest.
Many who had buggies, hitched IN
their horses and indrllged in pleasant
drives. We had no horse, but we
were determined to take our fair
companions on a ride, too; so we
borrowed buggy and placed our
ladies III it, and the Tallest Esteem
ed and the Chubby Gunger hitched
themselves to the shafts and trotted
away in gallant style. To see repre-
sentatives of two rival newspapers