The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-24
ONLY FEW ENJOY RECREATION
STOn-ES AND INCIDENTS OUTSIDE
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Bus Sessions Dry and WitIess,
In ing Debates OF Twenty Min
utes ON Points of Order.
Special 70 the Inaiananolis Journal.

eRAAN NY Training d IuOUtSI, undSSufQlnK
summer resort, has learned in the last
week, scarcely to know herself. In days
past now barely within the ken of the
oldest inhabitant, what is now called VIM
ona was favorite camping ground for
the Indian tribes who roamed this State.
The smoke of their camp-fires ascended
from the shores of the little body of water
which lay like sapphire under the noon
day sun and whose form suggested to the
ready imagination of the Indians the name
of Eagle lake, which it now bears. The
forests were filled with game and the noise-
less arrow struck down many a proud
buck in the shade of the wildwood. All
was careless and free, and wild An In
dian council, with its accessories of pipe
smoking and ceremonial dancing, was the
most serious deliberative body to hold its
sessions here, and even then the access
sories were of more moment than the coun-
Gil even as later, when whisky had been
introduced, the fire water" itself was
held more important than cork and cork
screw.
But civilization came with its ruthless
hand. The pioneers rifle was heard to
crack throughout the forests, the wild
game fled or was killed, the noble trees
were felled till the little lake was almost
bereft of it's border of green. On only one
side of the water did the rude hand of
man leave a vestige of the beauties of bar
barous nature. Even there the railroad
came, a telegraph office and passenger
station were planted and a hotel grew up
to accommodate those who wished to COM
mune with nature from the safe and COM
Portable precincts of a modern hostelry,
which cost them SO day. including pate
Ha ora tba
sembly and Summer School was started
and for period every year learned pro-
fessors and grave students have now
made this their home. But even this
Winona bore without murmur, for among
those who came there were many who
were merry and thought of things besides
their books. Children played about on the
green grass, young men and maidens,
sometimes alone, oftener in pairs, walked
up and down the gravel paths, or wan-
dered into the leafy woods to be with ma
ture and each other, to forget books and
study a language that has no puzzling
conjugations or definite declensions. Gay
couples boated on the water and the little
lake laughed as She dashed against the
boat and thought of other times when she
had listened to the same words in the gut
tural tones of the Indian. Strong youths
bathed their sturdy limbs in the warm
waters, and the splashing waves joined
gleefully in the sport Civilization was not
so bad Winona thought, If these days Of
relaxation were allowed
But now how different! A. Presbyterian
General Assembly has invaded the place,
and Winona stands aghast and overawed
at this gathering of men, in which brain
is measured by the hundredWeight and re-
ligion by the ton. Stilied are the voices of
youth, unfrequented are the places OF
pleasure. The trees that bend above the
Lovers Retreat accustomed to hear
some softer tale, straighten UP in surprise
at the unwonted sound of a learned dis
cussion on the doctrine of faith or the best
way to aid the missionaries in Chemung.
RETIRE WITH THE CHICKENS.
1t is a peculiar and distinctive body of
men, To begin with, they go to bed with
the chickens, and the night clerk at the
hotel says he never saw a lot of fellows
hunt their cots so early" A few of them
do stay up past the general retiring time
but these are they who are having commits
tee meetings or doing some kind of wire
pulling. Then, they all wear long coats,
white ties and high hats. Even the elders
have become infused with an idea of the
propriety of making themselves look as
ministerial as possible, and cultivate cler-
ical sort haberdashery. They walk with
a peculiar gait, they talk with a peculiar
voice and they eat with degree of preci-
sion which reminds one of the military ta-
BILE manners enforced at a reform school
for boys AS one Of the colored commits
sioners from the South expresses it, they
Is 'semblance tween all us bre'ren of the
cloth"
Taken altogether they are not Disagree
able lot Of men, barring their poultry-like
habit of retiring before the evening has
fully begun and their complaining when
more Wasteful wording laughs aloud or
whistles aria on the Veranda. Some of
them are quite jolly, too, and have no end
of fun in an innocent way. For instance,
DR.. johnson, of South Bend is a divine
who has decidedly sportive tendencies, OF
mild sort, and whose bicycle is next In his
heart to his flock. He has ridden a wheel
for seven years, has one now with him
at Winona AID will stop a theological dis
cussion any time to discourse on the merits
of his wheel over those of the products
of all the wheeleries of the world combined.
Through his influence the management has
sold q privilege to bicycle man, and he
wheels for hire.
There are other innocent amusements
here for those whose consciences or whose
muscular rigidity will not permit bicycling.
The management has given to all the COM
steamboat around the little lake. The price
is somewhat below the regular ministerial
rate of transportation, being nothing, and
every hour the boat makes trip around
the lake, loaded with passengers.
Speaking Of going round the. lake. there
seems TO be some difference of opinion as
to the length of the trip. IT is generally
understood as being nine miles. one Of the
inhabitants of the place, who got his right
of title by being born and having lived ever
since in a little shanty back of the Ice
houses across the lake, stood out
at the end Of the dock the other
day, fishing. People who know him say
ne never did anything else but fsh.
He was a 'tattooed and torn looking
specimen Of humanity with a once white
Sweater wrapped round his chunky form.
q pair Of trousers held up with strap and
a jaunty cap, miles too small. atop his head
and held in place by the hair which stuck
through the numerous holes An unwashed
face, q large quid of tobacco, a fishing pole
and a talent for swearing completed his
outfit. AS he fished tall Presbyterian di-
vine picked his way gingerly out 10 the
end OF the dock, and accosted the child of
nature.
My friend said he. how far is 1t round
this body of water?"
Bout three mile" laconically replied the
C. of n, as he spat about a gill OF brown
why, said he OF the cloth. "they told
me it was nine miles"
They did, eh2" with look of contempt.
We'll, these - preachers Is liable TO tell
you anything"
The preacher with the dash before his
title beat hasty retreat. The child OF ma