San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-23
THE UNION PICNIC.


when Sam Schraader his daughter and
Henry Verhawk drove up the road the bust
ness of the day had begun all along They
met two neighbOrS with their market wagons
on their way to the city, and one with load
of bone phosphate already returning from
the near factory. Women were opening their
front doors or drawing water in quiet COM
mencement of their long days work.
1t was August. 4 little later and an ex-
ceSSive heat would dawn. Even now, before
the sun had risen, it was damp rather than
cool along the dew wet road. Schraader had
his hat off, and wiped the perspiration from
his broad face. SChraader's was peddler's
wagon with an umbrella over the seat, which
was not meant to accommodate three. Schraa-
der's large bulk was deposited i'll the laps of
his daughter and Henry Verhawk, 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, unhurrying minds should
agree upon it; he was past 80 and she 70, 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 lift, for Henry was going.
Schrnadrr had today new stock of tim
ware and small merchandise he sold, and he
and Mary, who helged 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
prmncss that characterized him, a slim
form in suit of white linen and broad
y,.litn h1t vitI, lpinCr HE
face, clean shaven and guilelcss, shone with
his happiness in his coming treat. Hewould
attain his wish by walking seven miles and
twelve miles back that night; but in his
bright anticipation the cost was small. The
simplicity of his soul looked out from his
honest blue eyes
Nobody spoke IS they drove on. They had
lived their lives together till their nforma-
ton was all bat Identical, and their ideas.
This, adiel tothcirrUstic slowness of tongue,
made it nNrly that when Henry came to see
Mary Sunday evenings they would main
tain mbrol,rn silence from beginning to end
of the interview, nor feel anything but Sc
rene content; and they logged on now unem-
barras>"l, i'm the calmness of that thorough
mutual knowledge which is the sureSt prom
ise Of married happiness, the tinware keeping
up Il drOW,v rafting. When they reached
the turn which separated them, Henry got
down.
Its going to be hotter N twas Yesterday.
You better take it sIOw,n Schraader said, and
Mary turned her serious face, broad, like her
fathers, and plain, and looked after HIM as
he trampci on alone.
He took of his hat in the shade of the
woods, ON both sides thick and dark and vi
brunt with wild sounds, and walked briskly
He was almost agluw with his bOyish eager
ness lie had 50 early a start that lie thought
he should get there in time to miss none of it,
The rustiur grove was thickly bOrdered
with the vehicles which had brought the pic
nickers hithcr. Of the latter there were in
the neighburhood of thousand. Nominally
it was the yearly union picnic of the Sunday
schools Of half a dozen neighboring villages
but tn" Sunday schools brought with them
the settlements almost entire.
Henry sat ON a fallen tree in the thick of
the scene He mad been almost the first ar
rival Now II was H. and the picnic was
we'll under way. Thus far he had enjoyed
every moment He had Travelled round the
grove, Watching the constant arrivals; now
and then he had Embarrassed and hitched
the horses of women who had come without
men, and had taken one to the watering
trough. Hs mad looked on at the erection Of
the VariOu, vendors stands and had watched
the assembling of the ministers of the con-
gregations on the platform, before which ran
a few square rods of board benches. Now
there had been full activity for an hour A
merry -gO-round was in operation, the re-
freShmemt stands were gaining patronage
and up and down, in and out, round and
round, wandered the thousand picnickers.
To Henry it was a marvellous scene. He sat
with his hand, on his knees and his lips apart,
unconscious of all but his simple, half bewiI-
dered entertainment.
Two girls had been for some time strolling
back and forth before him with arms inter
twned Henry had seen them arrive, with a
dozen other girls and youths, in the bottom
of an evergreen trimmed lumber wagon. A
couple of the latter ranged after them at
distance, exchanging occasional insinuating
sallies, but for the present held at bay with
pert, conscious independence, the forerunner
of the full and giggling surrender intended.
They had looked at Henry as they passed
and repassed him, breaking with the litter
ings which marked their youth into whis-
pered ridicule.
Whats he gawping att"
Goodness knowS!'
Looks as though he were stuck there, don't
he!"
II guess he is Dave said he'd been setting
there since O'Clock this morning.
They Uttered in unison. Dave was one of
the pursuing youths.
I'D like to know if he can stir. guess
I'll sec," said the other She nudged her
companion, tossed her head daringly, and as