Daily Republican., 1879-08-27
LETTER FROM KOCKLAND,

AEGHLW FhOA hVCh La NDs
A Pleasant Party-PiuafOre Among
tho Hills OF the Brandywine-
Wilmingtsnisns Enjoying tho
FrOllc.
RocKLAND, August, q, 1879.
AS your correspondent still fingers at
the seaside it behooves us to remind
you that Rockland is still in existence
and recently we have been favored with
social gathering which has far excell-
ed all previous attempts Of this nature
not only in the elite society, but also in
the select and successful manner in
which it was SO thoroughly conducted.
We wish to speak Of the second an
nual picnic Of the Anonymous Com
mittee of Two," held in Miller's beau
tiful Grove, which by the way ia es-
pecially famed as it is entirely free from
underground and the facilities for dis
posing of horses and vehicles are un-
surpassed. The day was delightful in
every respect and very soon the woods
along our beautiful stream presented
an animated appearance; yet carriages
from all parts continued to roll in load
ed down with the gay and honored
guests, many coming from Philadelphia,
Newark, New Castle and still further
down the State.
About o'clock the rowing spirit was
so manifest it was with great difficulty
that the multitude could be collected
to partake Of the sumptuous dinner
which the committee had been all this
time arranging. However, ,9suffice 1T to
say, that more varied and delicious
repast was never spread before hungry
mortals with such elegant grace. The
gentlemen were not slow in showering
great praise Justly due to the ladies
who displayed such great ability in the
cooking art, they certainly excelled in
the variety of palatable dainties pre-
pared for this occasion, and the com
mittee Of two were pronounced Bricks
unanimously.
The table which still remains is an
immense blue rock perfectly level, and
will compare favorably with the cele-
brated Table Rock at Niagara; the one
at Rockland however has a much more
interesting and romantic history for
setting aside the various legends there
with connected, it has not been many
score years since celebrated war dance
was here consumated.
After dinner the various boats in the
vicinity were brought into requisition,
manned by the brave, and of-started
the first solo of singing, making the
old valley wake up and respond in
deep echoes. The chorus Of "Old Folks
at Home," led by Miss Maria Brown OF
the Philadelphia Quartette club, was
beautiful beyond description and was
loudly encored. Pinafore was the
order of the day. Dick Deadeye sang
himself hoarse.
The party ashore began to scatter in
groupes, the majority roaming over the
hills and climbing the rocky cliffs
This amusemedt was particularly char
acteristic with some Of the ladies from
below your city, as the contrast OF the
two localities is so manifest; some OF
the peaks and most prominent boulders
shall hereafter bear their names which
are those of we'll known and esteemed
citizens of our State. The Old Presby-
terian church and its surroundings
were visited as we'll as the thyme
strewn graves of Mt. Lebanon, many
even strolled up to Camp Vincent and
in this vicinity a miniature Wills rock
was duly baptised in honor of oue of
the fair guests present.
The Phila. ladies fearing no doubt
the evil consequences attending an en-
counter with rattle snakes, scorpions
and the like, were accompanied by a
physician of foreign birth, armed to the
teeth with powerful galvanic battery,
lots of court plaster, soothing syrups,
but fortunately owing to our surround
ings being completely civilized, the
talented services of the young eminent
were not brought into display.
As the hours rolled on, the setting
sun took last glimpse of the worship
pers at Table Rock whose number had
greatly multiplied during the after
noon. We noticed in the multitude
several of your foremost citizens who
seemed to take quite lively interest
and greatly enjoy the frolic. The inner
wants being again appeased. Mr..
Davis freezing compound manufactur-
ed at Chadd's Ford was literally ad.
ministered with gratifying results. AT
the approach of darkness it became
necessary to light up, and very soon
the stream and woods were aglow with
numerous Chinese lanterns. A large
bonfr. produced very exhilirating
effect, for matters became quite lively
and so continued until late hour when
the parties began to withdraw with
great reluctance, the weary forms of
many being hacked off by Wilmington
iHvincibes, who arrived on the scene
at the first ehirping of the Katie dds.
We do not wish to omit bestowiug
thanks to the ladies, who at the
heighth OF their festivities so kindly
sought out the lonely hut OF
our colored centenarian "Aunt Sally"
with such liberal and substantial dona-
tions as caused the old lady to repeated
ly calculate "Brsss de lamb Miss White
cum agin.'
No great event happened to mar the
pleasures of the day. A little boating
sport however took place in the even.
ing when one of your bellies became
slightly sea sick an d suddenly the
hero of the hour with a resolute spirit
of salvation sprang into the water to
rescue the form; as it vanished under
one of the seats in the beat. This act
Of bravery afforded much merriment
among the on. lockers.
A survey of the locality next day re-
vealed many lost trinkets and now the