The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1894-07-07
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

1Ut lily VI OIGCuftA1 hoN1A tAN
sented a more brilliant appearance
thau on the fourth, and never, IN
her palmiest days. has she entertained
her friends In more royal style or
with more open hearted hospitality.
Every taste was considered in the
program tor the celebration, and each
part was managed with such eonsHal-
mate judgment and foresight that the
two days jubilee passed off without All
awkward incident or single disap-
pontment, excepting the riding tour
nameni, which was omitted from the
already full program because Of the
disappointment of a number Of riders,
who were unable to participate as ex-
pected. On the fourth everything
was made subservient TO the one con-
sideration of the celebration. Theap-'
pearance presented by the principal
streets was patriotic and jubilant in
the extreme. Every store and many
dwellings were profusely decorated
with gay bunting, hundreds Of flags
hung from every available tornice,
window and doorway every pillar
aud coping was wreathed With decor
atiOns in the national colors, long
lires of red whito and blue lanterns
festooned the streets from block to
block, and blossomed among the trees
of private lawns Every window aud
balcony was thronged with ladies and
children in gay summer attire, aud
good-natured crowds packed the
streets with dense mass Of humanity
bound one and all on the pursuit of
pleasure. Throngs of carriages aud
vehicles of every description filed the
streets, from the three story tally-ho
wagon 10 tiny baskets drawn by Shet.
land ponies and driven by Lllliputian
ladies, and overy one carried brilliant
decorations of the cmblems of tho day
aud loads Of flowers. The whole city
was turned into grand parade
ground, with tho sound of coutinuou:
music and tho noise of salutes rising
above tho hum of tho vast crowd
while mounted lremen and Masonic
bodies marched IN their brilliant uni
forms down the long avenue OF float
ing flags. About mid day the scent
of the ieto was changed to the beanti
full park about mile from the city
where the barbecue was served. Their
Is probably no more beautiful place II
all the country round for such pur
pose than this park, with its immens'
forest trees, dense shade, and broat
sweeps of green grass, and tho en-
tertainmcnt which awaited the visi
tors was worthy the time, tho place
and The assembled crowd OF NOR
than thousand persons. 1t was Al
absolutely perfect barbecue. TIL
food wps lavishly abundant and th
: cookery the work OF q master of th
art. Every pioce of tho meat had re
! ceived its exact proportion OF bakln
aud seasoning, and every man, woma
and child on the ground was served |
comfort, neatness, and leisure. Their
was no haste, no disorder, no word
dissatisfaction. The immense crow
was managed with as much grace an
, ease as If they had been guests In
private house. This unusual aud d,
: lightful state of affairs was due
several causes; first, the absolute pc
fection of the organization under th
executive genius Of the general ehal
= man. Next to the perfectly unobtrn
!, i've but vigilant special police arrang'
!, ment, and perhaps more thanNll to tf
assiduity and untiring efforts of Ii
:, committee of ladies' in charge OF th
" tables aud service. The immeni
crowd was served in relays, I'll
tables accommodating about 500 peop
,, at time, and those who reached IL
IS table last were served as daintily al
@ abundautly as the first eomers. I'll
/ Southron band of Vicksburg discou
u sed their sweetest music during IL
!. feast and the whole affair was
triumphant tribute to the executi'
d ability and perfect cooperation
o The general manager aud the variol
y committees, and the generous aid
II the ladies'. At night the streets pr
1t secuted, If possible, an even gaycr seen
d when every electric light and evel
70 one of the inuumerable eolored lanteri
illuminated the darkness, and hu
drods of roekets and fireworks blazt
/. in the sky. 1t was such Fourth
July as Greenville never Witnessed b
fore, aud recalled to every QUO Il
g. fact that after all, neglected as 1t h
i been. Il il Justly Southern holida