The Osceola times., 1885-07-25
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EpIroR OscEoLA TiMEs-Iearn-
ing some days in advance there was
to be big barbecue and social gath
ering down at "Camp Cody" on the
10Th inst, we took passage early
that morning on the outside of a
pule and headed in that direction
by a diligent application Of two
good spurs, and three foot shelalah,
we rounded to at the Camp about
half past two o'clock, too late for
our dinner, but in time to see some
thing Of the social status oi the peo-
pie Of Mississippi County and sur
rounding country. We only said
we found the "Oamp," for there was
no "Cooly" ihcro-Thc Cody may
have been there last winter, but it
was tarnation hot when we arrived,
and everybody Qor they were all
there) were tanning, putting and
sweating like free men at a barbc-
cue in July.
Snspcnding our mule to swing
ing limb, that he might drip, we
pulled down our trouscr legs to
their proper bearing and proceeded
to take in the "scenes." First low
pring our temperature some what
with ice water and lemonade, we
sank down in group of grey beard
ed fathers on the outskirts of the
camp, who were talking over "early
times" in Arkansas telling anec-
dotes- some ON themselves and
some ON their neighbors, all OF
which were worthy of relating, but
are too long for the pen or press.
4 II &
Feeling our head begin to swim
in rejecting oyer these narratives we
backed ont and swung IN the dlrec-
ton of the main camp, which pre-
senled rot only beautiful. but a
truly interesting scene. 1t was a
kind o cosmo.panorama in appear
ance. A beautiful! grove wiil, rustic
seats beneath the spreading trees -
rostrum for the orators "a stand
for the musicians "a stand for the
dancers "a table for all, as long as
the moral law with the mighty
Mississippi River sleeping a; its
feet, while the atmosphere was trem-
ulous with the sounds Of human
voices and the delightfu. melodies
of music. The barriers between all
grades of society seemed, for the
time, To be removed, and the various
classes were mingling and mixing
to form u single conglomerate.
The minister, the statesman, the
lawyer, the farmer, the doctor, the
mechanic, the merchant, the tramp,
and even on dawn to the dude.
could be taken in AT one vie ".
Yet, such were the order and har-
mony of all that we could not help
from thinking how much society had
improved (or enlargci) since the
days of Tom.
Through natural instinct, or 9TH
erwise, we EeNt found ourself at the
table, though it was abandoned by
every one else. This 'scene" re-
minded MS of an occurrence we wit
messed during the war. aud we be
lieye if our good General could have
been here he would have said the
same to the people he did to us ON
that occasion. One morning after
our regiment had stood shoulder TO
shoulder ia deadly line of battle for
six long hours amid the heat Of an
oppressive day, our general rode
forward, aud after viewing ,he field,
rode up to us. and taking Oft his
hat, said; "Men, you have perform
ed nobly-eyery man has done his
duty" You see, we had only been
'forming the line tina, day there
had been no battle at all.
But, returning to the table, The
empty boxes, empty baskets, empty
dishes, aud cicanly picked bones
told what extensive execution few