Evening journal., 1889-08-02
A QUIET PICNIC.


as on the eve of a Fourth Of July. and
the 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 fitting sense Of dignity that
She informed me Of the fact that she was
"the committee boss on vittles to eat.
During the evening number of men
dropped in. and after 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 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 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
9arpers-the three boys. The ole man
is sick and won't be yere. Them boys is
ON the shute, you know, and hev got to
be squelched right on the go off.
II kin lick the hull passle of EN-, Mr..
Simmons confidently replied Tom, who
kept one of the general stores.
"And you, Henry--you kinder keep
walking around and 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
onery conduct
When l asked under what auspices the
picnic was to be given, one of the com.
mittee replied;
"Wall, the three or four kinds of re
ligun around yere hev sort O Clipped In
together, and I'm bound tharll be right
smart of sinners besides"
At an early hour next forenoon re.
| paired to the grounds, two or three miles
away, and found good many people be-
fore me. Every sort of vehicle in use 10
the south had been pressed into service,
and every sort of people and costume
were to be seen 1t was to be day of
for old and young, and everybody looked
as If he meant to enjoy it. The place
was wild and romantic, the weather de
ightful, and the jubilee songs Of the
darkies echoed up and down the gorge.
The first cloud arose just after the crowd
had reached the ground. The chairman
of the committee on order came to me
hooking very anxious and asked;
(which 'un do you abide byi@
"What do you mean?"
(which religun-Methodist OF Bap
tistgn
"I rather lean to the Presbyterian.
Why?"
because one Of the Baptists yere is
taking advantage of the occasion to try
and convart the ole man Parker. | say il
don't belong. Tain't the time sot apart.
If he goes in then some Of our Methodists
viii feel to 60 in, too, and the whole
thing will flop over to camp meeting.
| want you to meet up with him and tell
him he's off the bridge"
Fortunately for all, the old man Parker
announced in a loud voice that he'd whiT
the man who talked religion to him on d
week day, and the occasion didn't floI
over, as predicted. ! soon found the
Babcocks, father and two sons. They
were plain, honest looking folks, with
nothing of the ruffian or desperate in
looks or actions, and we had been talk
ing for a quarter of an hour before any.
thing was let slip. Then one Of the boys
announced:
Say, pop, ole jackson is yere.-
He ar, eli? How's he oonducting7
"Oh, sorter."
"Well, if he'un wants to be healthy
1 k4,f11 T. 49, IL.
no row around yere, cause it's feste
nous occashun, but he'un mustn't pre-
sumo
"And Jerry Baker is we're, too. pop
added the boy.
How sasserfrous fur the likes 81
Jerry to show up yerel How's he con
ductin'r'
Parrish"
'Well, don't you shute onless he draw
fust. It's festennous occashun, and deaC
folks lying around takes of the edge o,
a pusson's appetite"
"And Tom Straker Is over thar, pop,
continued the son.
docs he'un dare show up yere as bis
as life2 How'she conductinT-
"Toierable."
"Then tell Jack to goslow. Jack want
a pop at him, and it's his bounden dut,
to hev IA but he needn't be 30 awfu
hurryish about it. II thar's any row yer
the ole woman will be sartin to cotch
bullet. and then wen hev her to wait OF
all the fall Am right, strangers
"You arel"
"Tain't the occashun fur shootinY'
"No."
"That's what / say. Let's enjoy our
selves as much as possible doorin' tn
day, and then do our shoo<in' an killir
on the way home
By and by found the three Harpe
boys smoking their pipes under tree
and one Of them put revolver out O
sight as came up.
YES, it's fine day said Henry, tn
4 oldest. land l hope ther' won't be n
? misbehaving.r
"Why should there be?"
= "WeIl, that ar Ben johnson ha
= showed up an ar steppin' too high fur
/, feller of his breedin'. I've bin wantin'
( pop at him fur some time, an if he come
. rubin around l can't say as I'm goir
! to hold back"
! AN thar's Iii Bowman out thar a
blowin's as 70 how fur he kin jump" ad
ded the second brother Il owe him on