Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-07-13

the world was right; but what does IT
matter? Anybody has a right to be a
fool at picnic, and armed by this con-
selling reflection they are armor-plated
against criticism.
The picnic, particularly the largely
attended Sunday or day-school
picnic, is, therefore, an admirable place
to study human nature, for there hui
man nature is found at its ease and con-
quently off it's guard. The natural
tendencies of men show themselves
more fully than elsewhere, and It is
possible, if anywhere, at picnic to see
what man really is. There is the
committeeman, with his badge show
ing that he is on the committee of
amusements, or of lemonade, or order
of procession, or music. or any one OF a
dozen other committees to do little
things to contribute to the success of
the picnic. He is thus man of inn
portance for the time being, and feels
his responsibility. If q marshal, he
has accoutered himself with a sash
that would make the heart of Zula
dance with envy. If on amusements
he personally arranges the contestants
for the sack race and lays down the
rules of the contest with a
dignity that a judge of the
Derby might in vain strive to
emulate. If in charge of the
lemonade, he regards it as automatic
that the refreshing mixture would not
be properly manufactured unless he
himself squeezed the lemons, measured
the sugar and stirred the mixture in
the barrel. He knows his business,
too. To prepare himself for this i'm
portant function he bought a barten-
der's complete guide and carefully
studied those sections which treat of
the various varieties Of lemonade. and
is prepared to give chapter and verse
to any doubter who may suspect that
too much sugar or not enough lemons
have been employed. He knows his
business, he does, and while he is STIR
ring the lemonade and exposing the
knots in his suspenders it is not safe to
NEEDLE with him.
Not less important, however, are the
members of several other committees
who are commonly self-appointed. The
committee on swings has generally
the pleasantest job of the picnic: for,
after having. at the peril of their lives,
| arranged the swing in a proper place,
cut off a limb or two that interfered
with the movement, and pulled the
| just right, it is theirs to invite
the young ladies to be swung.
Seldom is the honor declined, for, al
| though the lady properly approached
on the subject is morally certain that
| she will fall out, and in addition urges
the consideration that swinging always
makes her dizzy, the urgency OF the
| inviters prevails, and with pretty little
shrieks and squeals, and much and
careful adjustment of her drapery
about her feet, she gets herself in po-
sition and is duly swung, amid many
protestations that she is going too
high, and that she knew she could not
stand it. The misery of the swinging
committee comes when stout miss
who is fond of swinging makes her APP
pearance and stands about, with perse-
vering patience, waiting to be invited.
! The slim youths manipulating the
swinging circle prolong their exertions
| with the petite beauty in hand as long
as possible, keeping her going far be-
! yond her own desire in the hope that
the big girl will go away. Vain is
their expectation. She has come to be
swung, and by and by it becomes inn
| possible to ignore her any longer. The
slender youths take off their coats and
l
ignation, all of which is needed before
| she becomes tired and requests them
| to "let the cat die.
( A display of enterprise is always
! pleasing, though when the enterprise
| is INSTRUCTED it has comical aspect
J which often excites the disabilities in
no small degree. The presence of a
| considerable number of persons as at q
/ ~ az, ind ixyiI o1c Of
| the class that lives by providing cheap
and humble popular amusements. How
ever rigid the prejudices of the clergy
! men and Sunday-school superintendent
may be against the canvas screen with
the agile black head thrust through
the slit. the owner of which stands
prepared to dodge any number of base
! balls thrown at his Uranium, the screen
| and its appurtenances are almost sure
| to appear, the loud-voiced proprietor
! Justify commencing the sport to world
| ly minded youth. Were there none
such in the gathering the fat man with
the loud voice and his hard-headed
dusky assistant would be forced to go
away in disgust, but hanging to the
skirts of every Sunday-school there are
always several young reprobates who
have no taste for Sunday school singing,
who regard the speeches by visiting
Sunday-school workers" as a bore, and
who slip away to try their luck at the
darky's head. So the darby generally
has busy time, and the fat proprietor
reaps harvest of nickels and dimes.
Much more deprecated, however, is
the presence of the operator who with
his rack of canes. his bundle of rings
and his key of beer advertises his
L. do
Walk up now, gents, and try your luck.
Five rings for nickel, and every time
you ring cane you get glass of beer. "
Sometimes. mistaking the nature of
the entertainment, he hobs up at
Sunday-school picnic, to the horror of
the preacher. superintendent and old
ladies. who Immediately take measures
looking to his summary election. His
is case of mistaken enterprise, and
he must suffer the consequences.
Viewed strictly as business propo-