Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-31
THE BRIGHTER SIDE.
The Cutters Open the Holiday Season
Upon the Day of Tears.
MEMORIAL DAYS MERRY MAKERS.
Joy and Sorrow Mingle Unfortunately
on the Streets.
PICNICS QUIET AND TURBULENT

As there are two sides to every question
so was there two sides to Decoration Day
| The one side was that ofthe pathetic, and tn
sorrowing ones observed the day as fttingl,
as the supreme gravity of the day warranted
| The other side was that of the merry holi
| day. The earliest holiday of the happ,
summer, and the commingling of the tw'
antipodean elements, the grieving and th
| laughing, as they pursued their ways upor
the streets was strange and wonderful
study for the observer of human nature.
The bright, laughing day, trife warn
perhaps but not uncomfortably so, added t.
the merriness of the laughers and rendered
more stern, and effective the panied expires
sion upon the faces of the weepers.
Maidens and young men, happy in theil
youth and carelessness. jostled and pushed
older men and women attired in the mourn.
ing garb.
Rainbow Hues and somber Black.
Bright summer dresses of more hues and
colors than the feeting rainbow boasts of,
and worn by youthful members of the
fair sex whose animated faces bespoke
their light heart, appeared more vividly
black worn by passer-by. Sorrow and
Joy were companions during the morning
hours, but as midday appeared each betook
themselves to their widely separated places.
The cemeteries were filled by the one, and
the parks, picnic grounds and places OF
amusement were thronged with the other.
The Sunday flock of cutters and outeresses
was increased by throngs. They came from
every conceivable spot and point. Some
came in old clothes and some came in new.
Many had not blossomed with the lilacs
and others had been SO deeply scared by the
autumn that they never " would bloom. The
first were too young and the latter too old.
But they didn't care. 1t was holiday and
what matters fnery as long as happiness
reigns.
The demure little maid who always in
sists on an introduction and the other little
maid who doesn't care for such wearisome
tormalitics were there. So were the blue
trousered boys from the workshops They
were something in majority at the subur-
ban picnics and about the downtown parks.
Dashing Equipases in the Parks.
Upon the edge of town it was somewhat
different In point of fact it was SO ex-
tremely different that the latter and the
former do not even exchange cards. Upon
the edge of town swelldom enjoyed
the day. At Highland and Schenley
parks swelldom was out en- masse.
Equipages of both handsome and expensive
style rolled over the park boulevards with
their green cushions concealed BY the stun
ming draperies of some adorable bit of femi-
ninity. Horseback riders of both sexes
abounded, as did also the erratie cycles.
The grounds were decked here and there
with some quiet family plcnicking The
shady lanes and walks were traversed by
promenaders. The fields at Schenley Park
were punished by the baseball iend, and
the insane hootings rudely disturbed the
tranquility of the atmosphere.
At McKee's Rocks the grove was oecu-
pied by masqueraders in a picnic. Queer
costumes foated about the place like the
mixed beings of prehistoric times. There
were representatives of all classes, caStes
and conditions. All the way from the
clown who labored under. the pitiful delu-
sion that he was funny, to the Carmencita-
like females who tripped through the merry
mazes of the waltz every time strain of
music welled forth ON the Silly air, as the
dreamer would say.
Not Altogether a Success.
The masquerade was success and yet
failure. A success for Manager Harris, be-
cause there was large crowd, failure for
the crowd because there was no beer sold
on the ground. But they had good time,
and some of them fought, that is, upon the
grounds.
But there was plenty of opportunities for
the would-be pugilist out at Ross Grove.
Melees at that place were as frequent as
they were in the good old days before the
police became so oppressive, so called.
Clubs were there in unknown quantities
L hol, aI iod Two
and the time was very large, as Ross
Elsewhere the day was as all holidays are.
Some were hilarious, others were quiet, but
all had a good time, and the shades Of night
were but sorrily received.
The record for Decoration Day picnics on
the Pennsylvania and Ft. Wayne roads
was broken yesterday. 1t is estimated that
fully $4,000 people went to Idlewild with
the stationary engineers. 1t was the first
picnic OF the season and the attendance
was phenomenal. Of this number at
least 5000 came from Pittsburg,
and they unfortunately congregated at the
Union depot yesterday morning. They
soon packed the station and side sheds, and
he crowd extended out on Liberty street.
There was steady push from those in the
rear to get tickets and pass the gates.
n squad OF fotce Summ onod.
A squad of police was sent from Central
station to assist the depot officers, but
hey were powerless to keep the
crowd back. Finally Depot Master Butler
ordered the gates to be thrown open, and
,ne train load went out without tickets A
ber of people returned home because
here wasn't room for them. About Is
,ars, packed to the utmost. were sent to the
grounds. Officer Harrison said the jam was
he greatest he ever saw in the depot, and
le doesn't want such crowd again for
months to come. In the evening Captain
and Lieutenant Richards with
squad of police, were at the depot. 1t |
vas expected that the people on the last |
ection would be noisy, but no trouble oc-
,urred. The women and children were
ired, and as the sections came in some |
minutes apart there was no crowding at the |
,ates.
The grove at Rock Point was thrown
'per to family parties. At least $500
'eople visited this delightful spot along the
James McNair. the Allie
heny ticket agent, said the sales of local
ickets for Decoration Day was ahead of
ii records for that Office. About 800 people
rom Allegheny went to Rock Point, and
m