The record-union., 1896-09-13
OUTING OF TIE TRALALOOS.
A Sacramento River Idyl.
(Written for the Record Union" b,
Harold Francis.)


One warm evening last month a num-
Der of members of the Tralaloo Club
met on the, lawn of Capitol Park, and
during the course of the conversation a
picnic was suggested. Chawley Green
eye, who is. known among the boys as
good old SOUL" Informed those pres
ent that he had a standing invitation
from Farmer Jones' down the river, and
suggested hiring steam launch, start
ing Saturday evening and returning on
Sunday night. AT this prospect of
stag party far from the maddening
crowd" the boys grew enthusiastic, and
in less time than it would take Stutter-
ing Tom to say "Spondulicks'' the pre-
liminary arrangements had been made
and the different duties assigned to
each member in order to make the af-
fair bowling" sccess.
Not in this generation, and hardly in
the next, will the members Of the Ira
laloo Club cease to tell their friends Of
the glOries of their great outing, which
was by common consent pronounced the
greatest ever" Incidentally, they
discovered the river serpent. not to
mention some few hundred other rep
tiles Of variety unknown to the world
and found neither on sea nor land.
The party, consisting of some fifteen
members, among whom John Brownly,
Bill Blue, Len Whitby Fred Blackney
and Charley Greeneye were most popu-
lar, met at the residence of George
Fishbone on the Yolo side where the
steam launch awaited it's precious
freight. They were all arrayed in Sc
dot
understood that the thing was not to be
formal. All were on deck at the ap
pointed time but Frank Gray. Some
wanted to start Immediately, and
others, who were afraid of having to
pay more than their just share toward
hiring the launch, advised waiting
Presently he hove in sight, and ex-
clamations of Get on to the agony!"
were heard on all sides. He was
logged" up in a light gray golf suit,
with cap and socks to match a pink
neglige shirt and tie that could almost
talk. Cries of Hurry up" and "Get
wiggle on!" greeted him as he descended
the levee in true Beau Brummel style
AS he neared the launch and had to
trip the trolley" or rather gang
plank, he got ratified swayed graceful
ly to and fro and Topped over. Chaos
reigned for a few minutes until he was
hooked. George Fishbone supplied him
with change, and when he emerged
from behind the trees he looked more
like his companions. All was now
ready for the start, and amid cheers
they departed, with the moon playing
peek-a-boo behind the lofty poplar trees
which lined the bank
AT first the party was quiet, but after
they had begun to be overburdened
with assorted drinks they set up a
racket such as would have done Justice
to Democratic or Republican conven-
ton. They sang so effectively on the
voyage as to give rise to a general ru-
NOR along the river that Cleopatra in
her stately barge was once more sail
Ing down the Sacramento River.
AT about $50 the launch blew it's
shrlli thrice, and as the boat pushed up
on the sandy, shallow shore the tired
men jumped off, thanking the gods that
they had at last again reached terra
1lrma Some swore that they were sick
from the rolling of the boat not the
drinks, and thought a black coffee
would quiet the severe mental strain
under which they had been held.
Farmer Jones was at the landing to
greet his guests and when he saw the
crowd he almost tainted He had ac-
ccmmodations for three and was at a.
loss as to how the others were to be
provided for.
Where on earth can I put you ALL"
ne cried, wringing his hands
oh, any place will do said ChawIey
Greeneye. "A beds good enough for me.
The rest can sleepion the roof"
fortunately the night was warm.
Straw was plentiful and improyised
hammocks were swung among the oak
trees. After sip Of coffee to still the
nerves and ensure good nights rest,
the boys repaired to their respective
hunks, begging one another not to let
them oversleep themselves as they wan
ted to go dove-hunting before old Sol
got In his hot work. Presently winged
things OF the night came and had fun
with them. Probably the sum Of Sleep
ing that the whole aggregation did col
lectively wouldn't amount to a good
nights rest for one able bodied man.
Too many other things We're going on
Tor slumber to have any chance Len
Whitby, who had sawmill concealed in
his thorax, let it loose in the very be-
ginning of what might otherwise have
been peaceful nap. By way Of intima-
ton that snoring was not in order, his
friends cut the hammock ropes and his
snorts were quickly changed into muf-
fled groans, which gradually grew into
melodramatic screams of wait till 1
get the bloke who did it, Everyone
was awakened, and on reaching the spot
himself upon the tattered hammock.
He had not only been cut down but tied
in. Peace was again restored and all
went we'll till the first gray streaks Of
morning announced the coming day
Then a number Of roosters began to
crow and the noise was considerably
augmented by the ill-advised action of
a Plymouth Rock hen, which attracted
by the bald head of John Brownly, es-
sayed to roost upon 1t and slipped UP
and hurt herself In a moment John
was after her and all the boys helped
him in the chase.
Peace being again finally restored by
the capture of the hen, whose feathers
were divided as trophies. the party set
tied into comparative quiet, but not for
long. Chawley Greeneye, who had a
room inside the house, and had indulged
in a real nap, despite his advantage of
snatching another, felt sleepless, so he
cast about him for means of amuse-
ment A number of the boys had ham,
mocks strung up about the house just
under Greeneye's window. 1t may have
been, as he alleges, merely an accident
that caused the overturning Of a
pitcher of water out of that window.
It'll
see it that way. They arose from their
hammocks with immense enthusiasm