New-York tribune., 1885-07-12
NEW-ENGLAND SKETCHES
THE FOURTH OF JULY.

RANsONE Mass July Mot until last
night did We know that the Baptist society was 70
celebrate what tho poster called originally the Hioous
Fourth" Tho celebration be by means OF picnic
at Whites Grove. a cambake, fish chowder iand ce-
creon were to be had for cents children under iour
| teen half price, come one ALL and have good
me No Objectionable people allowed on the Prein'SoS.
I'll not often in life that inducements are onered
for ones presence and we decided TINS inor'hs "o
would go.
While we were giving the chickens double allowance
| OF scalded meal to during our ABSENCE Mrs'
Holland came hurryng into tho yard We asked II she
we're going the picnic. She threw up her hahdS anu
| began to trcmble with indignation.
aNo indeed an't Ef 60 anywhere It'll he to the
west part OF tho town Them Bapss be gein IN ior
money That thero tina Is jest money maxim concern
That's all they care for. Twenty-Five cents Tor tne
Sunday school chidrcn! TIA . shame! and ye can't
even git into the grove without payin quarter DIT.
Taft he rose up to their msen and said he opected 10
the chdrens having ter pay nothin ana now nc can
| co. Ef you object. you cart 60"
She drow nearer to mo and asked In Whisper ncr
| head vibrating rapidly:
"Hcv you seen the bsf
"Yes.n
"wall. You It says, Objectionable people not
| allowed What do you think Of hatf'
An impulse to explain this phrase came into my mind,
but kept silence feeling that tho womans brain
could not comprehend.
| diatcly I've Jest come from thero. He's killed his
wife, and guess he'll kill his children He's tedchin
OF 'cm self denial his morning heard him. lie asSol
Eunice, Do you want ter to the IicnicF YES SIR
| says she. wall. git ready, says he. wen go early
Then no asked Jake he wanted to to the picnic and
got that boy and girl oil ready in their best and as
excited as they could bc anticipan tho fun He even
harnessed the hOrse for em. and jest As they was
steppn' into the carrya. he hollcred to en- Ennice,
Jacob. git ont; 20 inter the house. stay TO home fou
must learn solf-denia And thsy went In as OF they
were goin to graves say that ought ter be
troinced don't wonder his wife Is dead and buried
They do used to put her in tpcart and take her
over the rocky pasture OF she wanted to go to rfdc
had heard OF Paul Fletcher before but this new
itcm ts In self denial Nancy Holland went out
of the yard ut furious II propelled by her indg
| nation.
road under immense umbrella OF course 1t was very
hot and dusty equally OF wondered why
halunderaken TO 90. But these people are of per
peual interest to they like foreigners whose
| ways are many OF them nscrutablc.
when VIC came In sight Of the Baptist meeting house
there was line OF children IL white Issuing from the
vestry and heading toward tho pine grove They all had
u bunch OF rod white and buo ribbon pinned OF the
shoulder and they began singing when the whole band
| were In the road
"A solemn sight; a. very solemn sight," said voice
close at my side.
i
belongiug to Mrs. Fearing. Caleb Fcarngs consort we
always called her. thai his way OF mentioning her
upon prayermcetng OCCASIONS when he felt It necessary
to invoke the divine blessing upon her head. She was
"a fat, elderly with fuce which must once have
had kind Of vulgar good looks. she had evidently
pleased the masculine taste, for she had welded tnrec
times before she Mr. Fearing and his heart,
which had been berett OF two loves.
Mrs. Warner, sharpeyed spectacled Old woman. who
lives in the little house back Of garden. related out
line ofMrs Fearlngs history to and IL appeared tha
she al not been entirely happy In her marriages. Mrs
Warner peercd upover her glasses at shc saidi
"TwJ husbands she buried. and ore she lost"
We often wondered where the lost was and n he
would back Ike Enoch Arden. to disturb the
domestic bliss Of the Fcarings.
This woman moved heavily. and hal lactaSaisical
expression. Increased by what she called nervous
contraction OF the muscles" which pulled her head per
mauenlly one side. She loved all horrible
things robbery and murder like morses
her. and the details OF dreadful surgical operation
delectabe indec d.
To her mark made answer with especial briskness:
II thinking the children looked very gay and
happy"
She shook her head. They don't know what may be
before them. One OF em may be corpse before night
~Certa,ny" spoke up my sister chcerilly the picnic
ground may be soaked 10 blood and strcwn with c0rpses
by sunset, aud you may be tho first victim.
Mrs Fearing stared In dspieasure. aud her lie al
crooked than tD side.
We gradually moved away from her: and her
pale eyes following malicously.
Now prancing pair OF horses came dashing up They
drew express wagon laylshly decorated with ever
green and ricoored canbric. This vehicle contained
the brass band fr ON MOwn. The members scrambled
out the road became dusty than ever there was
q stir among tho and women. and presently long
line had formed behind sunday school children Tho
men nearly all narrow -rimIned straw hats, aud
long brown linen coats. curOusy cnt pantaoons and
big yblaoked boots Their tanned faces had
Iression OF holiday making or relaxation. which made
them look strange and unlike themselves. The women
mostly hal on dark skirts and white sacks have
noticed that here IN the country what Is called dress
ing sack at ely shops seems TO he considered the height
We stool at side and tho procession march into
ncr 70 the full extent o. isce and lung power Tncc
were many specimens OF what In this vicinity are called
showing a modest happiness bclttlng SO exalted a
POSITION frequently glanced about Ia triumph upon her
she hal one and seldom SPOKE His brown face. how
ever, wore perpetual grin OF satisfaction. Those
remained. They walking they wcro swinging.
they eating ice-eream, they rartakng OF
another. Conversation Ia rot high art here IN ansoe
We At last concluded that II was perhaps considered in
other How dusty they became. and how tired they
Is thcro any In the worl who docs not know how
clalnbake Is prepared can recall the time when was
hespod cooked them. Certain that
no bake OF clans can have the genuine navor without
u Is startling to how rany clans delicate looking
woman may eat. Enormous dishes hcaped are sct
thicky the table. together with patcrs OF melted
butter. Do not think to knife and fork. Fingers
are tho only Instruments here Pull Opcn shell and
dip the bTalvo In the hot butter YOn arc astonished
that you like we'll that sea favor. and yet
priscd when the shells pc high at your sdc and
still you wish for Chowder and fried 1sh are
neglected by nearly every and pal, after pan OF
CLANS is brought What matter If Shrcds
still cluiig 10 thcn1
1t Ia curious dinner. For long time hardly word
IS spoken by any one. Then cake and Ice cream
reached. tho tongues begin To wag crops and prayer
meetings and bcnnets ana babies and courtiny arc
buzzlng IN different koys VI nasal voices At last
young speak To tho girl by his side They are
both barrcadel by clam Shells but tley look suprenely
contentsd. and if not for that hdcous magenta
colorcd bow ut her throat she would be almost pretty.
But would put the belnty OF Mary