National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-31
ON ARLINGTON HEIGHTS,
Scenes on the. Road-The Ceremonies al
the AmphtfEeatre.


Eke Amphifheatre.
The colored people were the most no.
ticeable feature at Arlington yesterday. With
them the day was being observed as grand holt
day. Whole families were out in their best bib
and tucker not emitting the inevitable baby a
coIored family ofthe "Ole Virginny order is an in
tcresting spectacle. They are usually very jolly
company; but yesterday, in obedience TO the senti
ment OF the day, perhaps, they were not demon
strative in their merriment. Sometimes they rode,
and then again they walked, while others OF a
thrifty turn of mind had erected stalls, and the
entire family bent their energies to disposng of
the stores of
CAKE AND PIE
and lemonade, as well as boiled pigs feet. In
Georgetown they lined Bridge street, watching the
loaded cars go past and trying to make up their
minds to start across the river At the end of the
car route there were wagons of almost every de-
scription under the charge of vociferating coored
men, who announced the surprising cheapness of
their fares TO Arlington. Most of their wagons
were the wagons to hire" TO be seen
about the city, but transformed by flags
into something of holiday appearance. Seats
of rough board were erected along the sides and
covered with pieces of carpet or bed-comforters,
and some affuent individual even boosted of
cushions. Twenty-Five cents was the usual tariff
SEdISSO lOI lluc Will tnSSS luAulIcS thlONu Ill,
and there was a good demand all day. In some
cases the thrifty householder had paused in his
journey, and,
BUNDLISG HIS FAMILY
up in the corners offered the vacant seats to the
first purchaser, and thus was able to enjoy his holt
day and pay his way at the same time. But the
horses-the least said about the horses the better
had hard time through all this holiday making.
The road to Arlington is not the straight, broad
I,,Fn f1ll nf
numerous guleys. 1t was also full of dust. \
white cloud of dust arose in front of you followed
you, sifted in the windows and down your back
and into your and eyes. 1t did not taste good.
1t was too dry. Along the road you could catch
glimpses now and then of the colored people max
ing their way along on foot. They carried their
lunch baskets, and rare was the woman that did
not have baby. Then
THE YOUNG LOVERS,
he walking along holding umbrella over her
and shooting languishiDg glences of love at her
through the clouds of dust and she smiling sweetly
back. Such is the power of love that it makes
people oblivious of the discomforts of even Vir-
ginia dust. Other people that were not in love
coughed and scowled and looked uncomfortable.
But the HILL with its dust at last surmounted,
and the drive through the grounds of Fort NIyer
was comparatively comfortable. But presently
groups of colored people were met with
again, all treRding in the same direc-
ton, and finally the entrance to the
grounds of Arlington came in sight. But all
around the entrance, at some distance looked as
if an invading army had encamped there in their
white tents. Here again the thrifty prudence of
the colOred people illustrated. These were
therefreshment booths ard there at least half
dozen on each side of the road. The booths were
simple Of construction. Four poles cut from the
woods and set up, with white substance drawn
across the top that looked very much like bed
sheets. The eatableS were piled high on the table
beneath this shelter, and as the booths were close
10 the road, every vehicle that rolled past sent
CLOUDS OF DUST
upon them. This effect WAS remarked upon by q
purchaser to enc of the old aunties but she rather
indignantly secuted the idea that any dust was on
her stock in trade, by saying:
Honey; Use busted them cakes off de las time
twice"
These booths found numerous patrons from the
thirsty pedestrians and did thriving business.
The eyes of the pickaninies in the rear became
wide open with establishment as they beheld the
active movements of their parents in supplying
the wants Of their customers. Sometimes a lone
wildly" had sei up her little store, and she had TO
meet the rush single handed. So amid the clamor
of the buyers and the sellers, and the musical
sound Of the colored dialect the visitor passed
within the low, Ivy covered walls 10 The silent
city OF the dead That is, it was
SILENT BELOW.
But above the bright sunlight flooded with its
glory the stretches of green turf, thickly dotted
with the white stones. In front of each was an
American flag huttering gaily in the breeze. The
white dresses OF the children as they fitted here
and there among the trees and their gay peals of
laughter and merry shouts were suggestive of a
picnic rather than of death and the terrible civil
conflict of which the time and place were memo
rails The farther one penetrated into the grounds
the more frequent became groups scattered about
under the trees eating luncheon and enjoying the
cool grass and refreshing breeze. Inside the am
phitheatre there were a large number Of people
collected awaiting for
THE EXERCISES
to begin, but the greater proportion preferred TO
sit around on the grass and enjoy the beauty of
the service. The day at Arlington was grand
picnic festival. There was delightful breeze
stirring, and certainly no more beautiful spot
could be found to spend day, and the visitors
from the city enjoyed pleasurable holiday. The
crowd was larger if anything than that of last
year At noon q national salute was fred by O de-
tachmeut of the Signal Corps, under Captain R. P.