Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1889-08-16
A QUIET PICNIC.

reached Bibhsville on a Friday even
ing, and had hardly entered the queer
old place when l learned hat there was
to be a pisric ont ct ''the falls" the next
day. Ever body \ 81 much excited
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 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 a number Of men
dropped in, and after a 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 20 watch
the Babcocks-the ole man and his two
boys. They'll come fixed fur fight, and
at the fust sign Of a row you'll whistle
the committee together and pile on to
'em."
"K'rect, Mr.. Simmons" answered Jim,
who was the village blacksmith.
"And you, Tom-you are to watch the
Harpers-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"
81 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 and hev yer eye out fur
everybody. If you see AIRY man draw his
u jump right on to him. We can't
hev the glorious festivities of this festivi-
GUS occasion knocked eandwise by any
emery conduct"
When l asked under what auspices the
picnic was to be given, n Of the COM
mittee replied;
"Wall, tho three or four kinds Of re-
1igun around we're hev sort o Clipped in
together, and I'm bound thar'n be Alright
smart Of sinners besides"
At an early hour next forenoon l re-
paired to the grounds. two orthree miles
away, and found a good many people be-
fore me. Every sort Of vehicle in use in
the south had been pressed into service.
and every sort of people and 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 it. The place
was wild and romantic, the weather de-
aightful, and the jubilee songs Of the
darkies echoed up and down the gorge.
The 1rst 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 by?"
+What do you meanY"
(which religun-Methodist or Bap
tistY"
II rather lean to tho Presbyterian
WhyY'
because one Of the Baptists yere is
taking advantage Of the occasion to try
and convart the ole man Parker. l say il
don't belong. 'Tain't the time sot apart.
If he goes in then some of our Methodists
will feel to go in, too, and the whole
thing will flop over to a camp meeting
/ want you to meet up with him and tell
him he's of the bridge"
Fortunately for all, the old man Parker
announced in q loud voice that he'd whip
the man who talked religion to him on a
week day, aud the occasion didn't flop
over, as predicted. l o found the
Babcocks, father and two o They
were plain, honest looking folks, with
nothing of the rufian 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, ehl How's he conductinT'
+Oh, sorter."
"Well, if he'un wants to be healthy
hell walk soft. don't want to kick up
no row around yere, cause it's q 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"
"Well, don't you shute onless he draws
fust. It's a festemous~ occashun, and dead
folks lying around takes of the edge O
a pusson's appetite"
"And Tom Straker is over thar. pop
NoltlAhtu lhehons
docs he'un dare show up yere as biz
as life7 How's be conductin'T
'Tolerable."
''Then tell Jack to goslow. Jack want
a pop at him. and it's his bounden dut,
TO ksvi Il, but he-needn,t-h he 50 awfu
hurryish about it. If thar's any row yer
the ole woman will DO sartin to cotch
bullet, and then Wen hev her to wait o.
all the fall Am l right, strangerY
"You arel"
"'Tain't the Occashun fur shooting"
NO"
"That's what I say. Let's enjoy our
selves as much as possible doorin' til
day, and then do our shootin' am killiI
on the way home"
BY and by ! found the three Harpe
boys smoking their pipes under a tree
and one Of them put a revolver out O
sight as / came up.
"Yes, it's a fine day" said Henry, I'll
oldest, "and l hope Their won't be n
misbehaving."
"Why should there bepr
"Well, hat ar Ben johnson ha
showed up an ar steppin' too high fur
Teller Of his breedin'. I've bin wantin'
pop at him fur some time, an II he come
rubin around / can't cay as I'm goir