The western sentinel., 1892-08-18

been '.SoldierS' One could not help
being impressed with the fact that
each of the old veterans had reached
4 very far distant mile post in the
journey of life. and that the links in
the chain that bind the present gcner-
alton to that of the great War between
the States, are becoming fewer.
THE PICNIC GROUNDS.
The crowd marched to the picnic
grounds which are about a quarter of
a mile north from the village. The
immense stems of the thickly growing
primeVal oaks shoot heaycnWard here.
aud afford Il complete shade. 4 small
cool stream flows through this natural
park. adding much to the beauty of
the surroundings. In the center Of
the grounds a rude. rustic. covered
platform was erected. with rustic
seats for the audience.
Hardly had the speakers of the Oc
caSion been seated on the platform
and the crowd begun to assemble be-
fore the two excursion trains from
Winston pulled in. and stopped at the
picnic grounds. In Il few moments
the cars had emptied themselves and
their flood of humanity came pouring
down the hillside. across the branch
and up to the speakers stand. 1t
must have taken half an hour for the
cXcursionIstS TO get into the grounds.
The scene in front of the stand was
a very pleasing one. The occupants
of the benches We're mostly ladies,
while standing around them on the
outskirts were the men. The crowd
appeared as 4 vast human flower gar
den. The country girl is partial to Il
gayly trimmed bonnet. and never
makes her picnic dresses of any SOM
bre material. Consequently the vast
audience. which must have ap-
preached 1000 in numbers, was fairly
ablOOm when the speaking began.
Among those upon the stand were
Hon. T. b. Baily, Rev. DR.. Black and
wife. Of the OrDanage. Prof. Chas. ID.
McIvcr. Cyrus b. Watson. Of Winston,
Mr.. Stewart, Of M0cksville, VIII X.
Colcy. editor of the Dayie Times, Rev.
$. Nelson, G. :. Cashwell. w. II. Call,
OF Washington. \. G.. and others.
Hon. T. b. Bailey. Of Mocksyille,
opened the exercises and introduced
Rev. l.. L. Stacy, Of Pennington. who
offered an earnest prayer after which
Il chorus of the orphans sang sweet
echo song.
PROF. M'IyER's ADDRESS.
Prof. Chas. ID. McIver. President of
the State Normal and Industrial
School for women at Greensboro, was
the chief speaker Of the day.
Prof. McIyer is one of the most pop
ular speakers in the State. He is one
of our few orators. The old COM
mOnwealth has but one speaker who
ever tells as many jokes. and tells
them as well as Prof. McIver. and
he is Zcbulon Il. Vance. Prof. Me
lvcr isSl man of powful frame, and
every fibre and muscle of him is full
Of energy. He stirs things up when
lie makes Il speech. His gestures rad
late from him like beams from
jolly face. which with a very
tall forehead and thinncSS of hair on
the top of the head. gives him the
appearance of wcl-fed Catholic
priest, Il veritablc Friar Tuck.
Prof. McIver is a Scotchman but he
does not believe in Scotch moroscncSS.
He started out by SAYING that one
thing North Carolina needed was
more of such things as the MockSviilc
Picnic. which gets the people to-
gethcr and gives them a good time.
Il we had thousand meetings like
this" he said. "We would be better
off. We are not social enough, we
don't have fun enough, we don't laugh
enough. we don't have brass bands
enough"
The Professor also said that it
might be well for us to keep cleaner.
| f we did we wouldn't keep so despon-
dent as a people The very first thing
friSky old WidoWcr does when he
thinks of getting married is to get
clean. and omctimcS he gets so clean
he actually feels awkward.
"A people who dcspond never at
tempt anything" said the speaker.
''and a people who never attempt
anything never do anything. Our
North Carolina people are like the man
who had his corns cured" continued
the orato", alluding to the Fly in the
Ointmtn joke he saw in THE SENTI-
MEL some time -.
.Ain't you 81 | you've had your
cornS cured. John asked his wife.
Yes. but | can't tell when it's
going to rain. now, mournfully res
bonded John.
WE HOLD OUR OWN.
The Professor then told story of
Alex Gates. Il Winston barber. Alex
was Il iovial fellow and always had a
compliment ready for everybody. He
praised his customers heavy shock of
hair, or if he didn't have any hair he
remarked that it was great blessing
| to be bald-headed this hot weather
But one day there wandered into the
shop a man who was SO ugly that he
| looked like he hurt.
Even Alex was speechless as he
| shaved him. The ugly man went and
| came again and again. Finally Alex
| thought it was time SO faithful Il Gus
toner should be rewarded, so one day
as he shaved him. he said: ''Mr.
| Jones. when you fust come into my
| shop | thought you wus very home
| ly man, sir, but it pears to me the
| mo- | see of you. you holds your own
| 'emarkably we'll"
The trouble with us North Caro-
| lians is that we hold our own " 'emarka
| bly, well'' too much, was the point so
amusingly illustrated by this story.
The speaker then feelingly referred to
the Orphan and congratulated the
good people of Davie county that they
| had organized this philanthrOpic CO.
! operative society for the aid of the
| fatherleSS and mOtherless. At the last
great settlement of accounts they
would receive their reward s'1nas-
much as We have done it unto the
leasty these my creatures, ye have
| done it unto Me-"
Time and space forbid a longer ac-
count of Prof. McIver's speech. He
was at his best when he spoke of the
necessity of education, because he is
| loaded on this subject. He was attcn-
| lively listened to and his speech was
complimented by all.
| A chapter of orphans rendered the
| following program:
Song, Picnic Song, Glass; Solo,
| Cuckoo's Notes, Annie Strickland;
Recitation, The Little Maiden's Bon
net, Lizzie Pittman; Solo and Chorus,
The Little Wanderers, Annie Strick-
land and Glass; Recitation, Little
Flo's Letter, Lula Beard; Quartette,