Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-08-01
AT THE PICNIC.

IL was beautiful morning and as
the jolly picnickers moved from the
B. & o. depot it needed no spirltuous
stimElant to tone up the tagging
thought. Faces ususally pale were
flushed with joyous anticipations,
which many times prove far more
enjoyable than the realities them
selves. The spirit was not needed
but it was there. and a likely set of
boys, lat that dangerous, uncertain
elevation between boyhood and man
hood, when the voice makes that
change from gosliug pipe to gan
der depth and volume,) were in full
possession of q half pint of the heat
ing liquid, and were bold enough to
drink in the crowded car lone more
especially handsome than the others,
with face as fair as girls, with
that look of innocence so observable
in baby's countenance.t took heavier
draught than the others and WINGED
as the fiery stuff seemed to scorch
his throat. We meant to watch that
boy, and in short time found him
under pretty shade at Island Park,
lying a senseless heap, with swollen
and repulsive features, deaf to the
| footballs of many happier human be-
ings,-blind to the stare of hundreds
of eyes and scorn from many lips.
For him at least the days pleasure
was over ending disgracefnlly in early
morn. This was the only sad thing
we saw all day.
The Potomac was muddy but many
boys enjoyed a bath and swim.
Their play in the water was truly
refreshing, but their bathing costumes
were of such brevity about their pedal
extremities as to shock the more
modest and to remind one of the
dance of witches in "Tam OiShan-
ter" and as boy more agile than the
rest turned several somersets in the
air and then disappeared beneath the
raft, we heard on the bank Weel
done, Guilty sark " in commentator.
Turning from the flying spray and
| half nude figureA, we took in the
more inviting pleasures of sight and
sound in the dancing pavilion. A
July day will make any face rosy,
but whoever dances after Bowers
Boys music will get roster still. The
Huntsville boys were there, dancing
among the country girls, and we no
ticed big Kettle just boiling over
with fun, and though he fairly swung
little woman off her feet, he had no
time to cut that scientific figure on
such double quick motion as that
disappearing so suddenly after the set
was finished, causing the inquiry from
tall, queenly looking woman who
was anxious to be his next partner,
Has he evaporated?" Hardly ~
replied her companion. A form like
that,-a very Saul among the multi
tude,- suggests strength, solidity,
power and endurance. There is moth
ing about him that can not stand the
very rays of sun or anything else
he paused-unless he caught glimpse
of your flashing black eyes,-that
might have wilted him as it did me.
he whispered in her little pink ear.
We left for the lower pavilion
where the music was slower, time
better, numbers fewer, crowd less
hurried and heated. How much more
of a pleasurable tone and refinement
were here. The figures were almost
lauguidly graceful as they seemed to
float rather than step, what a con-
trast to the hurry above. Midway
between these two points of interest
was roundhouse of refreshments,
where as we stopped moment we
were very much amused to see a
HannisvilIe boy order two plates of
cream, and while he was chatting with
IA charming lady on his left, his best
girl on the right taking advantage of
the opportunity thus afforded, ate
both dishes, placing the empty ves-
sells near him. You should have seen
the surprise and CONSERVATION creep
ing from under his long lashes and
the droop about that darling black
mustache, as he realized that he was
sold.
Those returning early on the even
ing train were entertained by a very
exciting race between a Jefferson calf
six months old, and cur engine. His
life had been happy and contented |
one, till news of M6rtinsburg's boom
reached his ears. Then an ambition |
seized him to start for that point
without delay, so the unequal con-
test began aud was waged with in
creasing interest for some time, but |
at length the exhausted Bossy was
left behind, LOT.