Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15
THE UNION PICNIC.

German descended settlement below the Penn
sylvauia city would have been asleep, but
when Sam Schraades, his daughter, and
Henry Verhawk drove up the road the bust
ness of the day had begun all along. They
met two negbbors with their market wagons
on their way to the city, and one with load
of bone phosphate alreaIy returning from
the near factory. Women were opening their
front doors or drawing water in quiet com
1nencemcnt of their long days work.
II was August. A little later and an ex-
cessive heat would dawn. Even now, before
the sun had risen, st was damp rather than
cool along the dew wet rond. Schraader had
his hat Off, and wiped tile perspiration from
his broad face. Schraader's was peddlers
wagon with an umbrella over the seat, which
wasnot meant toaccommodatet three. Schraa-
der's large bulk was deposited in the laps of
his daughter and Henry Nerhawk, with dis
comfort to all But Henry was one of the
family. He had been a neighbor all his life,
and he was to marry Mary Schraader when
ever their tranquil, unhrrrying minds should
agree upon il: he was past 30 and she %, and
it had been for several weeks arranged that
they should on the day of the Union Sunday
school picnic at Hunts grove, twelve miles
away, give Henry a Eft, for Henry was going.
Schraader had today new stock of tim
ware and small merchandise he sold, and be
and Mary, who helped her father ON his
buster trips, had made an early start. But
Henry had been ready and waiting He was
as pleased to 20 TO the picnic as he would
have been twenty years back He sat with
a prirnness that characterized him, a slim
form in silt of white linen aud broad
brimned white hat with green lining. His
face, clean shaven and gnileless shone with
his happiness in his coming treat. He would
attain his wish by walking seven miles and
twelve miles back that night; but i'll his
bright anticipation the cost was small. The
simplicity of his soul looked out from his
honest blue ewes.
Nobody spoke as they drove on. They had
lived their lives together till their informa-
ton was all but Identical and their ideas.
This. added to their rustic slowness of tongue.
made it likely that when Henry came TO see
Mary Sunday evenings they would main
tain mbroken silence from beginning to end
of the interview, nor feel anything but Sc
rene content; and they logged on now unem-
barraSsed, in the calnnees of that thorough
mutual knowledge which is the sureSb prom
Use OF married happiness. the tinware keeping
up a drowsv rafting When they reached
the turn which separated them, Henry got
down.
Its going to be hotter II twas Yesterday.
You better take it slow Scnraader snid and
Mary turned her serious face, broad, like her
fathers, and plain and looked after HIM as
he tramped on alone.
He took off his hat in The shade of the
woods. on both sides thick and dark and vi
brant with wild sounds, end walked briskly.
nsss Ic Ind 90 oorlr n sfo,t tint Lo +boI,9,h+
h.. ebo,,Id rot +bare in +i,ro f., ,,,ies mona - Il
TIL ,,etlir,, e,ro,,o ,yos tbi1l.l, lo.,l-,,i
viii, the vobicles which had b,.,,,tIt Tho MO
nicl,c,.s bi.bo,. Of rho lot+or hero war; j.,
tbo neie,bhorhood of n Thousand Nomir.ll,.
Il yos tLe voerlv union ,,i,,,ic ~ tho er,,,la,-
scbools of half a dozen i,oiobhorir,, ,.iIla,,o.
hui fine Snudax- Schools rro,,oht -,;th +ho,,
+bn so+.Ionc,,+s almost e,+;ra
uon,v cot ON - fo,,on troa IN +bo .t;,l- 90
tho scoro 10 bsd heon almost tho G,+ ,,-
riva1 Now If uos u and tho Won't. ,,.a.
vol nnder vov Tins far he Ind oni,,.,1
ovo,v p,o,nonf He Ind travelled ,o,,,,i ,L'
,,rove watching +ho constant ,r.iyoIe. ,o,,.
and then he had embarrassed and hirCl,l
10 ,,orsos of woman viz lad ,o,,,o ,,.i,,...
man ord nod .ol,or o,o "a ,ho ,..ota,.;..,.
,ro,,ah We had looked on ot tho o,,oti' ''l
the voriOlIc TpOIorS' stands and had tcl,a cd
five assembling Of tbo r,iris+nrs Of tho cc,,.
,r,,eontions On, tho platform befora ,,,,ioI ,.,,
. law square rods of boorI benches no,,.
,b.r. bod boon fun oc+i1-itr fo, IN bn,r
,no,,.v-o,o-rn,,nd WINS in oI,oro+ior eva 49,
froe',,,,onr stands yoro oaini,r r,+,o,,.[,,,
md nm and down in md ont round 49,
,.o,,,d ,,o,,dorod +bo +ho,,,o,,l ,,i1.,;o,.N.
To Henry If was marvellous scene Va eat
with his hands on his knees and his Inns a,a,,t
unconscious of oil b,t his si,n,,,a hoIf III
dered entortoirment
Two pirle had been for son,o TINA s+rolli,,,,
bsc,, and Forth before him win n,.n,s int,,,.'
tvined Henry had seen Them orrivn viii =
do2an otI,,,. ,irls and voi,-bs in tho ho+,l,,,
of an evergreen trimmed lumber Yvoo-on A
connie Of the latter ranood oftor the,n ~ -
distance exchanging occasional i,,sirroti,r,
sallies. but fer the present held IF bov ,yitf'
nor+ conscious in6anoodonco tbo fo.o,,,,,,,o,.
Of the full md cigGIinc- sur,,onlIeI. irtordoJ
They Ind looked Mt Henri nc thov nossod
and renassed him breol,ino With the ti++or.
inos Which narl,ed their youth into ,rhis-
pered ridicule
49,, =, ..