Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-23
A MONSTER GATHERING.
Two Thousand People Attend the
Herndon Barbecue.

Two Thousand People Attend the
Herndon Barbecue.
Fully two thousand persons at
tended the barbecue at Herndon Sta
tion last Wednesday. They came in
buggies, carriages and wagons, on
horseback and by rail for miles
around and the affair was simply
stupcndous. There were two large
arbors, in one of which the young
people had an ,all-day brandance,
while the other was arranged for the
speaking.
The dinner tables were arranged
in the form of the initials j. A. NJ,
in honor of the orator of The day.
There was an abundance of provis-
ions on the grounds, but in the scram-
bic and rush when dinner was an
nounced so much was wasted that
many failed TO get enough TO eat.
There were over fifty carcasses and
if the proper order had been main
tanned all could have been fed, but
as il was those who were too modest
or well.bred to enter in the grab
game retired from the tables. This
was not from any fault of the mana
gers. The gentlemen in charge tried
hard to have proper order observed,
but II was impossible to control the
crowd, whose appetites had been
whetting all the morning as their
nostrils were RECALLED with the de-
lightful odor of cooking meats in
the trenches hard by. 1t is no easy
task to feed 1000 hungry people, and
il is hardly more than what might
have been expected that a few ofthem
were crowded out" at the tables.
There were but two speeches made
Hon. A. L. Stephenson was expected
but failed TO come. Attorney Gen.
eral z. w. Hardin was present and
made short speech before dinner
His remarks, though brief, were
quite happy and he made a fine i'm,
preston upon his hearers,
MR. McKENzIE's SPEECH.
Hon. Jas. A. Mckenzie spoke in
the afternoon. lIo took the stand al
2 10 o'clock and was presented 10 the
crowd-he needed no introduction
by Hon. w. j. Davie. lie began by
referring in feeling terms TO the fact
that he stood near the spot of his old
home, the place of his birth. Here
he had spent his boyhood and h(
recognized before him many of lii
playmates of the happy days o.
youth. Here too the distinguished
gentleman who was expected bu
who could not be present was born
Within a mile of this spot Hon
Adlai Il. Stephenson first saw thu
light of day and he regretted that cir
cumstances were such that he coult
not revisit to-day the scenes he left {
third of a century ago. Mr.. NJ. thei
read the following letter of regret:
WASHINGTON, d. O., July II, 'S6.
My Dear Sir:
/ deeply regret that official dutie
will prevent my accepting the kin,
invitation extended me to be presen
at the Barbecue, at Blue Water, o.
the Dist of this month.
l can hardly express the pleasure
would give me to mingle again wit
so many of my friends, on so interest
ing an occasion.
The thought will recur, howeve
that possibly but few survive of thos
l had known in my childhood.
third of a century has passed since
babe farewell TO the good old count
of Christian, TO take up my abode i
the great "Prairie State"
Aud how wonderful the change
witnessed by the three decades jus
closed ! The population Of this repul
lie has more than doubled; the il
crease in material wealth cannot /
estimated and the simple story {
the discoveries and inventions whic
have added so greatly to the comfor
of life and the sum of human happ
ness, savors rather of fiction than {
sober truth.
The scene l am invited 10 revisi
is to me one of the dearest upon III
earth. 1t is indelibly associated i
memory with the loves, the hop,
and ambitions of childhood. Ho
often amid the cares of busy life
have recalled this favored spo
What little army of teachers, wit
this as a starting-point, have gol
forth into the busy world; and no
many, alas! have long since "joint
that innumerable caravan whiC
moves to the pale realms of shade"
Please say to the good people
Christian County, that an absence
third of a century has not abatt
my affection for my native count
and my native State. The memol
of the achievements of the sons of Il
"grand old Commonwealth" is pa
: of the heritage of all Kentuckian
whether they dwell within her DO
ders. or follow the "star of empir,
{ still further Westward. The fact is tn
. if, when the struggles Of life are en-
1 ed, l should fail TO get to Heaven,
would like to go back to Kentuck
, as the neat best place.
l extend my hearty congratulate
to those you shall this day addre'
}. upon the return of the era Of go,
feeling between all sections of o
. common country-upon the fact tn
the hatreds which followed in I
U wake of civil war, have ina large mes
: ure passed away. With mutual go,