Morning journal and courier., 1888-08-18

| Joyous Orphans Have n Memorable
Day-TheIr Excursion ON the steamer
ELM City.
Captain Richard Peck's fame and good
name and the monogram motto of his fine old
| steamer 'fE. c., " easy Elm City, was perhaps
| never more handsomely indicated than yes
/ terday. The veteran steamboat commander
was too seriously indisposed to be present on
the days occasion, the grand annual e1cur
sion of the orphans of the New Haven asy.
lum. a happier company of people, young
| and old, all ages, of both sexes, or fuller of
| joyful expectations, never left Belle dock on
such fine gift excursion. Many of the aged
| ones had not had a boat ride for many long
year. It began in sunshine and clouds, its
| brightness and heat. Hardly ripple stirred
the mirror like waters of the Sound. Sea-
| shore and sky took ON their loveliest look of
ocean beauty, fading landscape of hill and
dale, with gentle breeze and fftful sun
shine. Soon after y IN. the orphan asylum
waits boarded the new excursion cars and
1 were whirled away to Belle dock. Many in
| valids from the hospital and worthy poor peo-
| pie arrived in good time and were only too
| glad to get aboard. The old orphans were
| not nearly as lonely and bright as the
| young ones, but took in the situation with
| like joy. Nearly all were provided with well
| filed picnic baskets and enjoyed the contents
| of them as much in the anticipation as in the
reality. The orphans under the superintend-
ence of the trusty and indefatigable Mr..
Hickox, his wife, Mrs. Kingsbury, the matron,
| Miss Twining, the secretary, and the good
Offices of the resident, Mrs. George w. Cur
1 tbs, but who like the steamboat captain could
not attend, provided amply for every want of
4 the asylum benefciaries Mrs. Kingsley had
/ also three babies and thirteen invalid chill
4 he Il
care of Mrs. Bassett Huge baskets of sand
witches, piles of cookies and cakes and two
barrels of ice water, plenty of milk, tea and
coffee made up the feast. Many, perhaps
most, ate their private picnic spread in differ
emit parts of the steamer. The main deck
| below, the saloon and hurricane deck, were
all utilized to accommodate the voyagers.
About pm. the main deck was cleared for
| action. Ropes kept back the surging crowd
of little, were the long tables were set, the
benches brought in and the provisions spread
upon the tables. General e. z. Bradley was
master of ceremonies. It was q pleasure to
obey him. After all were seated and the
walters ready he called upon the childrdn to
1 bow their heads and ask Gods blessing be-
fore the feast began. The general added a
pleasant word of remembrance for Captain
| Richard Peck and his son, the asylum's pres
| ident, Mrs. Curtis, and of John G.. North,
| unable to attend through illness. The good
| humor produced by The abundant repast
continued through the six hours of the ex-
cursion.
Ex-Mayor Lewis would doubtless have re-
sponded eloqusntly had there been arrange
rnents made or occasion offered but all kept
moving from one deck and one part of the
deck to another, enjoying the bracing sea
air and pleasant talks with each other, the
possible lessons of the passing hours filed all
the time. Watching the rising clouds, view
ing the lightning and listening to peal after
peal of thunder was pleasing variety of in
cident on the trip. FauIkner's Island, the
Saybrook lighthouse, the slightship' on
"Cornfeld reef" which were passed near
enough to throw papers to the man and boy
who were at the bulwarks, were other pleas
ant incidents.
"A pleasanter excursion could hardly have
been made, and as good an escape from the
burning midsummer heat. The boat re-
was managed by the executive committee of
managers Of the asylum consisting of Mrs.
George w. Curtiss, president; Mrs. William
Fitch, Mrs. N. D. Sperry, Mrs. Frederick
Ives, Mrs Henry Champion, Miss Mary B.
Bristol and Miss Eliza K. Twining.
Among those on board was General Brad
ley, Architect Stilson and wife, Hon. James
Gallagher, ex Mayor Lewis, Robert T. Mer-
win and wife, Miss Punderson, Miss Eliza
Twining, III. NJ. Cover, Mrs. Hillman, J. E.
Rice and wife, Mrs. James Martin, Mrs.
Charles Il. Merwin. Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel
Cleeton end daughter, Mrs. George Durand,
Mrs. Wilbur Smith. General Bradley and
Architect Stillson were very earnest in their
endeavors to make the excursion pleasant
one, as also were all connected with the
steamer Elm City.
A Gard.