Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-03

| Church Festival of the Peninsula the |
/ Victim OF Bad Weather, and an Appar-
emit Indifference Among the Negroes
It takes good, hot, perspiring, sultry |
August Sunday TO make a successful |
Big Quarterly day.
Sunay, which was the nth ami |
versary of this great negro church festi- |
val of the Peninsula was Just the re-
verse. With the thermometer at 65o at |
II a. M, a gray, lowering sky, and |
cold wind blowing, 1t was no wonder
that the negro caloric could not rise to
the occasion and that the great anniver-
sary of Big Quarterly, at least in all
Its external historic pictures, was this
year a most lamentable failure.
What can negro do in temperature
OF Co.,? There is no inspiration for his
exuberant spirits in such dull melan-
choly weather as Sundays. He is q
child of the sun, bright, happy and i'm
pressional and derives all his moods and
whims from his surroundings. Nature
herself was dark and dismal on Big
Quarterly and the doleful weather re.
Elected itself with gloomy impression in
the dusky visages along French street.
As the reporter approached the p, w.
q B. station there were some indications
of unusual crowds. But the crowds
were largely composite, almost as many
white onlookers as negroes. Young
colored sports OF athletic build in fine
holiday attire, and with bright leathern
travelling satchels strapped across their
backs, pranced demonstratively around.
The question was raised why so many
of them wore Grape hat-bands. There
must have been an extensive renewal
somewhere or other of those southern
outrages which the Republican papers
speak of so much. Or perhaps the
young dudes were in fashionable mourn
ing for their 400 congeners who lost
their lives In last weeks Martinique dis
aster.
The young colored girls, too, were ex-
travagant in the molly vivid colors of
their dress costume. The broad hats, like
big dishes of peoples, hollyhocks and the
reddest of red flowers, gave the idea
of richly colored quilt suspended in
mid-air few feet from the pavement.
1t was somewhat suggestive of the
definition, just heard, of Balmaceda's
lost stronghold, Valparaiso, VALLEY of
Paradise)
AT any rate red peoples was the
favorite hat garniture among the col
ored beauties Sunday. 1t suited their
dusky features and black lustrous eyes
with remarkable good taste.
AS well as could be ascertained the
arrivals by the four morning trains UP
TO 10 o'clock, two from Philadelphia
and two from Baltimore, did not COM
pare in number with those of last year
Then, too, the known custom Of NO
trains from down State on Sunday aided
In he ~ att
large share Of visitors arrived here on
the late train from down the Peninsula
Saturday night.
1t was odd to notice how the Equality
among the colored arrivals Immediately
crowded the electric cars for Riveryiew
Eighth street and Delaware avenue
though how on earth that landed them
any nearer their French street destina
ton nobody knows. 1t was the style
however, TO board the handsome electric
cars.
FRENCH STREET IS "ICHABoD."
Up along French street, In the fore
noon at least, the sight was an uttel
disappointment. Its name lie "Ichabod, ;
for Its glory Is departed" so far as OF
Sundays promenade of colored people Il
concerned. There was lonely lnciden
at one of the street crossings where som,
one, given TO practical jokes had de
posted neatly tied parcel on the faI
stones.
"Don' yer tech dat" the smartl,
dressed young colored beau adiured hi
convoy of dozen slim, cackling, bright
eyed bellies, as the latter crowded.
around the parcel of bricks, squeakinI
out in coy, ear piercing, laughing treble
"Oh, glory, Jawge what is 1t Y"
THE wAysIDE INNS.
On either side, the wayside inns ant
booths, frightened up with cheerful
glimpse of pyramids Of brilliant green
coated watermelons made the only sun
shine of the melancholy day. steam
ing clouds, redolent with the stronG
aroma of cabbage and bacon, floatec
across the sidewalk, assaulting the nos
trils of the passer-by with knock -dowr
effect. Then the sitting, pungent odors
whose name is legion, altar of roses
violet, arbutus, cologne, &C., that in
cessantly accompanied the bright COS
tunes and unctuous shiny "curly-pows'
of the dusky feminine pedestrians, az
forded another illustration of the Val
paraiso smile.
On open lots old-fashioncd stove
with annex of tall, camel-necked stove
pipes steamed and smoked merrily ava,
preparatory to the al fresco repasi
which was going on all around wiihou
intermission. Gaily attired attendants
in stiffiy-starched brilliantly whit
aprons, whose ample personal proper
tons suggested for the expected guest
most generous hospitality, wabble,
busily around armed with long handle,
ladies and other imperious emblems o
kitchen authority and industry.
Along French street colored lads car
ried tall flags and bulrushes suggestive
of Palm Sunday.
The crowds were nothing unusua
Sunday morning. AT Ezion NJ. i
Church there was only the usual sun
day attendance.
ooh, no" exclaimed one of the OF
ficials found in the doorway OF til
church, 1--WE have no connection wit
Big Quarterly. This is Ezion NJ. f.
not a. U. NJ. p"
AT Union M. +. Church, the religion
centre Of Big Quarterly day, there wa
very poor mornings gathering.
the grove, back of the church, two mir
listers and trustee were the sole occu
pants Of the large tent,
Returning later to the church il wa
found fairly well filled with devon
orderly congregation. One fact in COZ
nection with Sunday mornings SCI
vice, which is specially well worth r,
cording, is In reference t. the extreInel
reverend and orderly manner in whic
it was conducted There was not iii
slightest hint of the INDIGENOUS demon