Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-04-13

Long udyS SpouG III the open All are
becoming more and more feature
Of our summer life. No more do we
consider picnic a rare function that
occurs but once or twice in the season.
Instead we take it as matter of course
and make little fuss about it.
Several reasons may be given for this.
We are turning more and more to nat
ure for our rest time and are learning to
appreciate what benefit there is in
pure, fresh air. We long to get into the
woods and fields and away from the city,
even the most devoted cockneys among
us. Also, we have learned new ways of
doing this. The bicyclists explore all
the country within reach and the trolley
has made access to rural joys easy for
the jewellers in cities. We do not have
to hire horse and wagon when we wish
to put the town behind us for few
hours.
When such outings as these are to be
a matter Of frequent occurrence it is a
mistake to plan that they should be too
elaborate. Then they become burden.
The woman who has tired herself out
with preparations for days rest, feels,
by the time she is ready to start
that she is so weary she would
rather stay at home than go anywhere
in the world. TO guard against this
oh no OF
ments made once for all and the means
thus devised should be always on hand.
In the first place there should be a
picnic basket. The ideal Of this is the
beautifully made tea-basket or lunch
basket of the English, but the cost of
this is beyond the reach of most persons.
We would not be Yankees and ingenious
il we could not manage substitute. 1t
may not be SO elegant but it will serve
the purpose as we'll. A good-sized bask-
ct with cover and stout handle should
be selected and if the fittings for this
can be attached to the inside of the
basket by stout rubber or elastic bands,
so much better. II not, they can be
packed in as best one may. Such fit
tings should, when possible, be Of alum
mum, because of the lightness of this,
bnt tin can be used or anyone OF the light
metal wares that are on the market.
First among these fittings should be a
couple of boxes with tightly fitted lids.
If they cannot be procured, pasteboard
boxes will serve. The advantage of the
metal boxes is that their contents keep
moist and fresh. One of these recep-
tacles will hold sandwiches, another
cold meat, If this is taken, or if not, cake
and other sweets. In addition to these
boxes there should be drinking cups of
some light al,-glass and china are
too heayy,-and set of ordinary knives,
forks and spoons that are kept for this
purpose alone and will be no great loss
it they come to grief. When plates are
needed the light ones of wood or paper
that are used by grocers will answer ad-
mirably, and plenty OF these should
always be in the house. There should
also be supply of Japanese napkins on
hand. None of the articles belonging to
the picnic outfit should ever be used for
any other purpose. On the return from
the outing the fittings of the basket
should be put in order, and basket and
contents set away until the time Of the
next expedition.
This is the kind of outfit to have for
a boating and fishing excursions, or for
a trolley picnic, when one goes by car to
some distant point. If there is to be a
good sized party it is better to have
several baskets of small or medium
capacity than one or two that are large
and heavy. Divide the burden as much
as possible. For such excursion there
should be provided also heavy railway
or travelling rug or shawl, that will do
TO spread on the grass for a seat. The
young persons of the party may not
need it but it will be pleasant for the
older picnickers to feel that they may
bs sparing themselves an attack of
rheumatism.
A tablecloth may also be taken along
and the commissariat may be extensive.
Sandwiches, bread and butter, rolls or
biscuit, cold meat, hard boiled or stuffed
eggs, salad, cakes, fruit, among the SOL
ids, cold coffee or tea, ginger ale, root
beer or lemonade for drinkabes. Any
or all of these are satisfactory if the pic
mic is to have for an object berrying or
fishing party, a nutting frOlic, a clam
bake or something else of the sort. For
such occasions, when fire is possible, it
is we'll to take along certain quantity
OF unlocked prOvisiOns,-a indeed is
necessary at a. clam bake,-like potatoes.
sweet and white, corn, apples and so
forth, while the coffee or tea may be
heated over the fire.
Far different is the sort of provision
that is to be made for bicycling party.