The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-02-24
Mankato Artists Please the Peo-
pie of the Suburb.
Large Audience Greet Artists,
Who Make a Hit"
Town People Make the Visitors
Stay Very Pleasant.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily -
As the young people of the G. G. G. G.
club of the Congregational church, to-
gerher with number of their friends,
filled the big "blue jay" in front of
the church on South Second street yes
terday afternoon, all the circumstances
promised an exceedingly enjoyable out
ing. The weather was well-nigh ideal.
The sun was bright and seemed to have
gathered some power with the approach
of spring There were few clouds and
only little wind, just enough to make
the merry party huddle and crowd to-
gether. The sleigh was plentifully sup
| piled with fur robes and straw, and in
addition, heated bricks and soapstones,
wrapped in paper, were placed in the
aisle. One of the stones caused little
futter of excitement as it set the paper
smouldering, and threatened to light the
straw. 1t was held for time outside
the sleigh, and just enough of the heat
allowed to dissipate itself into the at
mosphere to render the stone safe,
without impairing its usefulness.
1t was about four o'clock when John
Stevens, seeing the passengers all
aboard, urged on his double team, and
the outfit was off for St. Clair The ride
ont Glenwood avenue and along the st.
Clair road is pleasant one at any sea-
son of the year, provided the weather
is not rough. 1t is twelve mile drive,
just long enough to be thoroughly en-
joyed by everybody without firing or
chilling anybody seriously on such a
day as yesterday. Occasionally the
young ladies showed bit of alarm as
i the runners went down into this and
that hollow, rocking the box from side
to side like vessel on the pillows. On
the whole, however, this rocking was
rather enjoyed. The very threat of tip
ping, while there was no. real danger at
all, except in the imaginations of the
more timid, was a source of rare
amusement.
AT length the "blue jay" drew in up
on the main street of St. Clair before
the shades of evening had really begun
to fall, and stop was made in front
of the town hall. This cosy little build
ing had been splendidly heated up in
anticipation of the city guests, who
| We're to entertain the ST. Clair folk that
evening. All clustered around the glow
ing stove. Some of the more thoughtful
suggested heating up the soapstones and
bricks, and they were placed on top
of the stove to bake until the going
home time.
Rev. E. Dudley Parsons, pastor of the
st. Clair Congregational church, greet
ed the visitors very kindly and saw that
all We're properly taken care of. Mr..
Parsons really had charge of the en-
tertainment that was to be given on the
town hall stage for the benefit of his
church, and he saw to all the prepare
lions with an eye that showed both
judgment and experience. Rev. Heer.
nance. and his party were given the
freedom of everything and they explor-
| ed that fine little building east, west,
north, south, up and down, going over
stage, auditorium, stairs, gallery, Cloak
room, vestibule and all. Games were
played and all were as much at home as
| if they were in Mankato.
At length the st. Clair folks began
to arrive. Some went up in the stage
and stepped into the adjoining kitchen
and began to make preparations for the
baking of the batter cakes. The long
ride through the sharp atmosphere.
had rendered the Mankatonians quite
hungry, and the odor of the frying IA
tions was decidedly an agreeable one. At
length the guests were escorted to the
long table on the auditorium floor.
Here they waited in joyous anticipation,
while minutes seemed like hours. Gath
cred about We're the st. Charities, along
the benches by the walls, in the main
group of seats, and in the gallery. The
villagers were quiet, somewhat sedate,
and indeed almost timid. The city
guests We're unite tho ravprsa Az Tho
waiter appeared with great plate of
delicious griddle cakes, one prolonged
round of clapping and applause arose
from the Joyous corners. They imme-
diately fell to with knife and fork and
cakes, butter, syrup and coffee disap-