Louisiana capitolian., 1880-05-18
GerInnnia /! EatherlHnd /!

t"SVttcu, NJ tu0t ItV UitVi thVuSha hS
icomc to mar the pleasure Of the time
honorcd occasion.
The Germans of Baton Rouge, com
posing an influential and useful element
ofits population, have ever shown them
selves faithful to the traditions Of thcil
Fathcrland although they have thor
oughly identified themselves with the
intcrcSs, Of our community, among
whom none are more public-spiritcd o'
law abiding than they.
| The German Association, at its last
meeting, had decided to celebrate thin
anniversary, by u rural festival. Fo,
this object. q committee, composed Of
Messrs. A. Blum, J. =. Bott, II. Busch,
Charles Week and Jacob Shulcr, to
which were added the President and
Nicc-Prcsidcnt, Mcssrs. John Gass and
Henry Schortcn, were empowered to
mako all necessary arrangements, such
aS selecting tho grounds, etc.
The Committee did not hesitate long.
The famed Oak Grove, which covers al,
area of nearly thirty acres of ground,
the property Of Mr. Vim. S. Booth, sit
uated in q direct line at less than mile
from tho Courthouse, was by permission
Of its clover aud hospitable owner Sc.
lected as a suitable place whcrcat to
enjoy, with their families and friends,
the traditional holiday.
At day dawn tue preparations began
cooking utensils tableware, lumber,
and last but not least, the cdibcs, and
especially the ice and lager beer, were
transported to the beautiful grove,
| planted OH 4 knoll which commands the
rolling country around it, a spot as pic
turcsquc in appearance rs any that can
be found in Louisiana, one where the
breeze, no matter from whence it comes,
is sure to bring comfort to those who
may be resting under the shade of the
oaks.
Through the courtesy of cX-Mayor
SchOrtcn, We reached Booths Grove ut
10 A. NJ. There we saw Il large number
of ladies and gentlemen disseminated in
small groups through the delightful
ground. Here was the place set apart
for the dance, which WAS to be guided
by the strains of Pages splendid or
chestra. Already fair ladies occupied
the inprovised seats erected for the oc-
| casiOn. Farther on, was Il wagon filled
with saw-duSt, ice, and lastly-lagcr
beer.
We had scarcely effected a landing
that ollr German friends coaxr. lls 70.
wards tn" wagon in question, and
though they know that wc-har'lly ever
do it, they poured out 4. glass of cool
sparkling beer which on, Of the con-
spirators handed to us. We looked
around for some ice-watcr, icmouadoS or
something of that sort, but couldn't
discover any in the vicinity. We wcro
too timid to say that we didn't like beer,
for We feared to insult our kind friends
by TINS bslittlng their National bcvcr-
age, 50 We put that glassfnll inside the
left hand pocket of our vest, where, at
intervals during the day, we managed
to conceal enough Of that liquid to al
most float slnall-sizcd piroguc, without
showing tit" slightest emotion concern
ing it.
After this preliminary rctrrshmrnt,
We hctook ourSclf to the rommiss,ry
department, where Swc saw, first, a
trench filled with live Goals, over which
were being broilrd, under the skillfml
supervision Of McSSrS. +. GnStabrl and
Philip Bucllcl, 4 lot OF tender veal, trcsl,
pork and other appctizing meats. Near
| by, looking business all over, was Major
Machct, the Quartcrn,astcr of the Third
! RripaIc WIN l,.I ..,,uS.,,,,,l t<, ,,n;o;,4 ,
in directing tlir conirction Of the rour,-
! bouilioH to hr maIc OF rr.l fish and red
snapper brought from New Orleans for
the feast. some few wards away, un,lr1
I the shade of an oak, were a number of
ladies, who, under the command of Mrs.
| n. were engaged in the unportical task
| of pra!ing potato"s for the salad, while
Professor X. was shedding tears as hc
was removing tie robes from Il lot OF
onions. At the suggestion of Il friend,
we were induced to try Russian sar.
dine. a contOundrd fish thar caused rs to
slip w, right then and there. for we
consented chccrtully to go back to the
beer wagon, where u second halt-barrcl
was already on tap, for the first one had
leaked, to that extent that porkrr got
dfink III merely tasting the pcr>pra-
tlon "i the cask, an incident whirl,