The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-08
Pap alta Masonic Dinner.
CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Jnly 9th. 1851

Editor B,ookAavea LEDGER
June 24th, Though the politeness OF
Mr. A. J. Martin Of this place. vas
invited to accompany HIM to Dry Grove
where it was understood a grand Mason-
ic ricnic was to take place. According
" at an early hour we found ourselves
~ the road The country between
iere and Dry Grove-which IS thirteen
niles distant, In a north easterly direc'I
,0n-is of the best character, posses
-.ing some Of the most procuct'Ve
arms IN Central Mississippi. though ~
|aais season show unmlstakaole siBns OF
trought. which for the past two months
ave visited it, greatly to the injury o
ne growing crops in general. o core
a particular; though now aud then a
,Iantation along our route, more fortu
,ate tnan it's neighbors. seemed to have
'4en visited by an occasional shower IL
,e time. aud smiled with the prospect
II a boultiful harvest 70 its lucky oc-
,Ipapt, and wherever they have had
.iu. | think | never saw the crops as
rward rs at this time OF year, Whole
ields of corn in roasting ear, while the
ptton is boiling plentifuHy.
When within two miles OF our desti>
n ,tion we we're overtaken by DR.. Hun
ter aud his little son. who, like our
> .ives, were bent upon seeing the
.,ghts with a coming appetite for a
good dinner. Arriving at the little
hamlet-made famous by the yellow fe-
YER scourge of1S78, nearly depopulating
it-at ten o'clock, we were ushered into
the suburbs by the Raymond brass
band to the soul stirring national air,
Hail Columbia A good c%oncourse Of
people had already preceded us, and
| by the time we had secured our horses
| ound ourselves following the throng to
| the speakers stand, which was erected
3 o the north of the Raymond road and
| at the head of a deep ravine, while on
| either hand the hilfNsides we're literally
covered with people. The Rev. Mr..
Douglass, Episcopal clergyman of Dry
Grove, occupied the stand, and was en-
| gagged in prayer as we drew near the
| spot, while the vast audience listened
10 wrapped attention to his eloquent APP
,eals to the Most High for His bless
ings. After the prayer and music by
the band. Sam Shelton, Esq. OF Ray
mond, delivered an address, which on
occount of the distance which | occupied
from the stand, and my inability to APP
roach nearer, on account of the crowd,
rendered it impossible for me to report
the speech IN detail as I would bep'eas
led tn have done. In substance. how
yer, | gathered that Masonry. its in
E.ntions aud objects" was his theme
H. reviewed the former standing of the
order, contrasting it, in glowing colors
with the present. The cause of its de-
slime he attributed to the clrelessnes'
or apathy OF Its members, III admitting
into the order an element foreign to thu
attentions aud requirements of Mason
rv He said the order had degenera
ted, but they had no n to blame bu
themselves; that they lacked watchfui
less, and in order to regain and man
tain theirformer prestige they should
more iealously guard the doors of thei
lodges, be more circumspect and eau
tious who they admitted as members
After Mr.. Shelton closed his address
which was received with demonstration
If satisfaction, Mr.. Douglass arose, anC
~ a few brief remarks reiterated the
views set forth in the address, then an
bounced dinner. The band struck NJ
, lively air, while the famished multi
'ude hastened to the tables, which nov
fairly groaued under their weight o
choice food, but need l., shall |. a
describe them? Just imagine two lonl
cables. each about a hundred yards ii
pngth, covered with food of all descrip
SONS. Dozens and dozens of great ia
baked turkeys stuffed with the fines
lrpssiug until their delicate. brown
glossy bodies looked like bursting a
they glistened in the sunlight. Next t.
them all along the table was ranged
row of large pans filed with delicious
chicken pie, covered with delicate, puff
fy paste. to tickle the palate Of an Epi
cure. Then came biscuit and butter
rolls and buns, ham and eggs. roas
beef and mutton, boiled beets and raw
onions, lamb and spring chicken. roast
ing ears and boiled potatoes. pickle.
aud ice cream, corn bread and honey
butter milk and sausages, cucumber
and custard, pies Of all sorts piled NJ
10 places two feet high, boiled cabbage
and sponge cake. and-but what is thu
use? I can't begin to tell one half thos'
tables contained, so 1 will not attemp
a description of them; but n thing
can say with a certainty, and that is
there was provision enough on those
two tables to have fed double the peo'
Pile present. and it was estimated over
thousand took dinner there.
While I was standing near on e of thu
tables, gazing in bewiIderment at th'
wagon loads OF GRUB before me, SOM
one grabbed me by the arm with the
exclamation, "Pap, you look hungry
come with me-" I looked up to fine
myself in the grasp of my old frient
Ben Jones. of Kinds county, who haC
mistaken my look Of establishment fol
one of famine, and took pity on me. anc
it was hot until I discovered the benev-
client tears coursing down his honest
sunburned countenance that / realized
the situation. [ endeavored to disa
buse him of his mistake. I told him ]
was not hungry; indeed, / told him I ate
o hearty breakfast only an hour before
and had a lunch in my pocket, but il
was no use. he insisted that I looked
faint and needed nonrishment, and ]
vas at length compelled to accompany
him to his section of the table, which
was presided over by his noble wife,
who is no novice in the cuisine depart,
menG. A knife and fork was placed in
my hands, the victuals were before me
l have no distinct remembrance o.
what followed until some half hour la
ter. Ben gently whispered in my ear
eff l were keeping boarding house, ]
would rather board you for a week thar
a fortnight" | stopped eating. and
was trying to realize his meaning, wher
some one lead me away from the table
and handed me a cigar.
About this time a lively shower pour
ed down upon the surfeited multitude,
and I heard one old lady remark it was
a Providential blessing. and I have nc
doubt she was correct, at any rate it
choked them off, when they all or near
ly all took shelter in the store of Thos.
Mcclellan neal by. and in a few min
utes the large hall over the store was
filled with young people. The sound OF
the VOL was heard above the roar OF
the wind and the patter of the rain,
when they "tripped the light fantastic
toe."N B.-I have seen the forego
ing sentence in print before y
After the shower. many people resid>
ing at a distance commenced packing
up for home, but the music ami dancing
continued for hours. The lemonade,
cigar and confectionery vendors-and
there were several establishments OF
the kind on the ground-drove a THRU
wing business during the day, bat the
shower caused them to suspend by
melting their ice. 9sa ea
Dry Grove Lodge. No. 32l. was at
enc time in a furnishing condition, but
the yellow fever and other causes have
reduced it to a few members. The Uti
ca lodge was present in force, also sew
s.I ..aa.la~a E.aA. n.u.z a.al :. aupanal