, 1889-08-01
A QUIET PICNIC.

TO be n picnic out ut the falls" the next
day. Everybody was as much excited
as on the eve of a Fourth Of July. and
h colored people could hardly hold
themselves down. The. Widow Baker,
at whose house | found lodgings, had
been cooking for the last three days, and
it was with a fitting sense OF dignity that
she informed me of the fact that she was
''the committee boss on vittles to eat"
During the evening n number of men
dropped in, and after n bit the commit
tee on arrangements got together to per-
feet some details.
"Now. then, you JIM" said the chair
man, as he finished making some notes
on a piece Of paper, you are TO watch
the Babcocks-the ole man and his two
boys, They'll come fixed fur fight, and
at the fust sign of n row you'll whistle
the committee together and pile on to
EN-
"K'rect, Mr.. Simmons" answered Jim.
who was the village blacksmith.
"And you. Tom-you are to watch the
Iiarpers-the three boys. The ole man
is sick and won't be ye7o. Them bo.s ia
on the shute, you know, and hev got to
be squelched right on the go off,"
IL kin lick the hull passle of 'em, Mr..
Simmons" confidently replied Tom, who
kept one of the general stores.
"And you, Henry-you kinder keep
walking around md hev yer eye out fur
everybody. If you see AIRY man draw his
gun, jump right on to him. We can't
hev the glorious festivities of this ~festivi-
GUS occasion knocked eandwise by any
emery conduct"
When | asked under what auspices the
picnic was to be given. one of tho com
mittce replied:
"Wall. the three or four kinds of re-
ligun around yere hev sort o. Clipped In
together, and I'm bound thar'll be a right
smart of sinners besides"
Vt al early hour next forenoon / re-
paired to the grounds, two or three miles
away, and found n good many people be-
fore me. Every sort Of vehicle in use in
the south had been pressed into service,
n every sort of people md costume
were to be seen. 1t was to be a day of
for old and young, and everybody looked
as If he meant TO enjoy 1t. The place
was wild and romantic, the weather de
lightful. and the jubilee songs Of the
darkies echoed up and down the gorge.
h first cloud arose just after the crowd
had reached the ground. The chairman
of the committee on order came to me
looking very anxious and asked;
(which 'un do you abide by2"
What do you mean2'
Which religun-Methodist or Bap-
tisty'
al rather lean to tho Presbyterian.
why2'
Because one of the Baptists yere is
taking advantage of the occasion to try
and convart the ole man Parker. l say it
don't belong. faint the time sot apart.
If he goes In her some of our Methodists
will feel to go in. too, and the whole
thing will flop over 1, camp meeting.
/ you to meet up with him and tell
him he's of the bridge"
Fortunately for all. the old man Parker
announced in n loud voice that he'd whip
the man who talked religion to him on a
week day, and the occasion didn't flop
over, us predicted. l soon found the
Babcocks, father and two sons. They
were plain. honest looking folks, with
nothing OF the rufian or desperate in
looks or actions. and we had been talk
ing for n quarter of an hour before any
thing was let slip. Then one of the boys
announced:
"Say, pop, ole jackson is yere."
He ar. chr How's he conductin'7'
"Oh. sorter."
well, II he'un wants to be healthy
he'll walk soft. don't want to kick up
no row around yere, cause it's a feste-
nous occashun. but he'un mustn't pre-
sumo"
And Jerry Baker is yere. too, pop"
added the boy.
How sasserfrous fur the likes of
Jerry to show up yerel How's he con-
ductin'T'
Parrish"
We'll, don't you shute onless he draws
fust. It's a festemous occashun, and dead
folks lying around takes off the edge of
a pusson's appetite"
And Tom Straker is over thar, pop"
continued the son.
Does he'un dare show up yere as big
as life? How's he conductin'Y'
''Tolerable."
''Then tell Jack to go slow. Jack wants
pop at him, and it's his bounden duty
TO hev it, but he needn't be so awful
hurryish about it. If thar's any row we're
h ole woman will be sartin to cotch a
DANNN anu AAl1h VIC II htN neT 10 wait on
all the fall Am | right, strangrrY'
"You areT"
"'Tain't the occashun fur shootin'?'
NO
That's what / say. Let's enjoy our
selves as much as possible doorin' the
day, and then do our shootin' an KILN
on the w a home"
By and by | found the three Harper
boys smoking their pipes under a tree,
and one OF them put n revolver out Of
sight as l came up.
YES, it's a fine day" said Henry, the
oldest, land l hope Their won't be no
misbehaving."
"Why should there bey''
well. that ar Ben johnson has
showed up an ar steppin' too high fur n
Teller of his breedin'. I've bin wantin' a
pop at him fur some time, an if he comes
rubin around can't say as I'm goin'
to hold back"
IAN thar's hi Bowman out thar a.
hll--srf. -. - 49,, e. L. II f. -