Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-04

opening was set for the 21th, Miss Mattie's birthday, and the village of
 Fairfield was invited to a picnic to
 be held at the mill in honor of the oc-
 cason. It is needless to say that the
 Fairfield Strawboard Mc facturing
 company did the thing up in shape,
 Wagons loaded with straw and drawn
 by four horse teams went the rounds
 of the village collecting the guests. It
 is doubtful if Fairfield was ever more
 surprised than at the realization of
 how much there was of her, using the
 pronoun out of respect to the majority,
 when she was bunched," as Red said.
 You would not have believed that
 struggling. lonesome looking place held
 so many people. AS Red could discov-
 CT no means in the towns resources to
 provide a meal for 300 people, it was
 necessarily basket party, which
 struck MT. Saunders as being grievous-
 ly like a Swede treat He made up
 for 1t in a measure by having barrels
 of lemonade and cider on tap at the
 grounds, stronger beverage being bar
 red, and by hiring a quartet of strings "clear from town"
 At half past ? on a resplendent but hot September afternoon the caravan en dressed in the most unpicnicky cos tunes imaginable. and the men osten- tatiously at ease In their store clothes
 Every one was in the best of spirits, keen for the excitement and pleasure that was sure to mark the occasion.
 Red rode old Buckskin, who had succumbed to the inevitable and only jumped aroend little," as Red put 1t, on being mounted. It was pretty lively jumping around" but perhaps Mir Saunders found some satisfaction fin sitting perfectly at his ease, smok- ing his cigarette. while Buck jumped and Fairfield admired. And, at any rate, Buck had legs of iron and the wind of a locomotive. carrying Red all day and willing to kick at anything which bothered him when night came. He was splendid beast through and through, from forelOck to tail tip, but he had learned who was his master and obeyed him accordingly.
 It was five mile ride, mostly under the shade of fine old trees. The road wound around the hills; here and there a break in the arboreal border showed views of rolling country, well shaped and pleasing, winding up grassy slopes in groves of verdure. Of course most of the freshness of leaf was past, yet the modest gray green gave a silvery sheen to the landscape that brought 1t into unity.
 One member of the party felt that his heart was very full as he looked at it. That was Lettis. Blast the old office" he kept saying to himself. Blast it's six dingy windows and the clock at the end, Doesn't this look good, and doesn't it smell good. dust and all?" and then he'd howl at the horses in sheer exuberance of good feeling. making the mild old bruteS put a better foot of it to the front.
 Red cantered up beside his wagon. Well, Lettis," he said. "here we go for the opening overture with the full strength of the company-we're great people this day. ain't we?" And the big man smiled like a pleased big boy.
 "Oh, what a bully old fellow you are" thought Lettis as he looked at him. LettiS was thinking of other qualities than flesh. but the physical Red Saunders on horseback was de- serving of n glance from anybody: the massive figure so we'll poised: the clear cut. proud profile; the shapely head with its crown of red gold hair; the easy grace of him by virtue of his strength-it would be a remarkable crowd in which Chanta Seechee Red couldn't pass for a man. He was ev- cry inch of that from the ground up
 Lcttis had come to bow down to him in adoration. with all an affcctionate boys worship. To those eyes Red was just right in every particular: likewise to Miss Mattie. who even now was filling her eyes with him from behind inc vantage of a broad straw hat
 Al Inst the whole party disembarked at the fat before the mill and made ready for the official starting of the The big doors were thrown open. so that tho company could sec within while resting outside in the shade. and under the cooling influence of what breeze there was The mill was officially started Red climbed tho hank io the Hume and raised the gate The crowd cheered as the i'm prisonei waters IeaVai to freedom with q hollow rnar. raising In pitch as Inc nenstOck filled and the wheels be- gan to go rnund- Speech was ca1ed Tor. and tho vigorously protesting Red Vas forced Co the front hy his former friends. Dcmft and Lnttis- Thus be- rayed by those he trusted. Red made .hs lest of i;
 Ladies and gentlemen. fellow citi- ,ens." said he. the mill is now open o aTI corners We hope to make this hing a srI0cpss- We hope to see every laTny hands-i. hump hacked farmer in {. he country rusin the So5eS of his moo .sSins and shove his plgv through uie as much Erognd as he evpr dii .efore. anf if he cames here with his ,lunder we'll give him a square shake . TeU pay him as much as we dsst md nOt Irt him f1 nn fhe EroH1d Foor. . .o ha can crawl out thToura The coal l8-e. as is s0ne-Imes done Now. ev- .ryboiy rI1 away zsI have a good i. inc fer I G0at Ike t0 fzEk this yspFl 1. lny mors thzn rOa Ike t9 hszr It- 4