The Washington herald., 1907-06-30
PICNIC IN THE RAIN
Business High Alumni Run
Into a Deluge.
NONE IS DROWNED, HOWEVER
Dnmpness Fails TO Keep All at
Home and the Faithful Carry Out
Programme as ScheduIed-Orches-
ira Works Overtime 20 Dissipate
the Gloom at River Resort.

When the steamer Manchester drew out
from her dock. bound for Marshall Hall,
with the Business High School Alumni
Association on its second annual excur-
sion. yesterday afternoon, the atmosphere
was loaded with dismal dauIpness that
was most distressing after the glittering
dreams and aaticipatons Of the hundreds
of youthful excursIonists.
Even the weeping willows along the
channel wall wept. and the elaborate pro-
gramme Of events, athletic and aquatic,
with it's gaily-colored cover, looked fool
ish.
The parting whistles as the lines were
thrown of dragged into an unaccustomed
wall that completely drowned the IN
natural groan Of the engines and the val
liant efforts Of the band at cheerfulness
with the inspiring strains Of Molly o"
The faithful, fully a score, or possibly
two dozen. made themselves near-com-
Portable in the main saloon, with the Oft
repeated and alleged cheering remark,
fWell, it's a nice ride any way"
One Especially DiseonsOIate.
one particularly distressed and disgust
ed passenger. evidently much abused,
stood disconsolately alone on the main
deck and gazed with a distant longing
first at the vanishing wharves and then
with a Teeiying interest at the door 70
his left labeled conspicuously saloon
He walked by with wistful look into
the almost empty room, with its array
Of attractlvely labeled bottles, framing a
white coat aud smiling, inviting face
He trod slowly up the stairs and with
the sing-songy introduction, Pardon me,
represent" he asked who was in
charge, and what was doing Apparently
no one was. the individual asked for evil
IDENTIFY being safe and sane and under
a tin roof looking out Our eXtravagant-
~ dressed friend thereupon sat down on
the aft, and as is the wont Of such char
acters unused OF his face and other
things irrelevant. and watched with duh
interest the Familiarity changing scenes Of
passing sails and changing contour Of
shore, almost Weirdly beautiful In the
driving rain. His Tevery was interrupted
at this point, by another OF the same
stamp and experience. and, misery loving
company, each smiled and simultaneously
exclaimed, You, too"
Finally the company. mostly young
women and girls, began 70 perk up a bit.
They seemed 10 appreciate the perfume
tory efforts Of the band. aided with some
equally perfunctory singing, Alexandria,
behind a misty veil, slid by the windows,
and it actually seemed inviting; but Alex
aHdrians are safe and sane, and no stop
was made.
Crowd Leaves at Fort.
The crowd suffered a blow at Fort
Washington through the Decentralization
Of two passengers. who left a percepuble
vacancy.
Lunch baskets were opened for com
fort. the refreshments lent courage, and
there was a perceptible frightening Even
the clouds seemed lighter The girls ex-
plored the boat ard started a little game
Of tag. much TO the discomfort Of one
pair in a fair corner that showed un-
mistakable symptoms Of contentment
A careful canvass failed to discover half
a dozen members of the alumni assocla-
ton
The crowd suffered a second slaughter
when Mount Vernon was reached, sixteen
persons getting of 20 pay their homage
to the country's father The bell that sa-
lutes each passing boat with dolefulness
was answered by dismal toots Of the
whistle and the dead march by the or
chestra.
Marshall Hall was reached IN an un-
evenful manner. and the party that
went down on the 10 O'Clock boat crowded
the wharf to greet the new arrivals
This crowd made up for the Fort Wash
ington loss, being just two in number
The early ones had already run OF two
of the athletic events. and immediate ar
rangements were made for the remainder
Of the programme. The orchestra en-
livenod things with a waltz during the
period Of Encouragement and two couples
crowded the pavilion. while Aunt Ellen.
its c0rpulent guardian, swept the pools
Of water off and answered the jests Of the
spectators.
Power Boat Race.
The power-boat race started late in the
evening. Fully thirty boats participated
in the run to Marshall Hall. and they
made a pretty sight, with their vari-
colored flags, steamlng In a bunch at full
speed down the channel They were well
grouped until they faded in the mist.
The Rosamond. owned by ". G. Shat
hirt, won in the first class for over o
feet Her actual time was hours 36 min
utes 5 seconds and with the handicap re-
duction, 1 hour Sc minutes 6 seconds. The
prize was a silver loving cup.
The Argo, owned by r. D. Cox, a
scratch boat won in the second class for
boats over 10 feet, her time being l hour
80 minutes IS seconds.
The Dolores won the prize in the third
class. She is owned by Eugene Higgins
and Irwin Z. Jones, and made the course
In hours 70 minutes 20 seconds. She was
also a scratch boat.
The Judges were Adrian Sizer, cOmmo-
dOTe InteTclUb Canoe Association; Don Z.
Clarke secretary Corinthian Yacht Club.
and Charles A. Jones. J. Edwin Lawton
acted as clerk Of the course. All handi-
cap allowances were made on the we'll
known "Rudder Rules for Power Boats"
The yachtsmen were well pleased with
the working out of the rule on the Pc
tomac, where II was used last night for
the first time. Considering the weather.
the time was good.
Other Contests Held.
Inc athletc programme was carried
out in the dancing pavilion soon after the
afternoon boat left, with but six or seven
entries in each event. The winners and
prizes were:
Throwing ball; women-Won by Miss Clara Dunn:
Miss Margaret Price. second. Prizes: Parasoi for
first; shirt waist, second
Fnty-yard dash-Won by s. NJ. Fslconer; c. A.
King. second. Time, seconds. First prize, silver
medal; second, ribbon
Sack race-Won by O. s. ZurhoTst: H. F. Entri-
kin, second First prize pair tennis oxfords second
pearl scaTfpin.
Silt race-Won b. Il. T. Entrikin; C. s Zrrhorst
second First prize, fancy dress vest; second belt
Toward dash-W0l by S. ". Falconer; c. A.
King. second Prizes. silver and bronze medals
75-yard hurdle-Won BY c. A. King; c. l. Kellogg.
second. Prizes, silver and bronze medals.
Threelegged race-Won By team composed Of C.
A. King and 5. N. Falconer second S. A. Long
and @. /. Kellogg. Prizes, shirts and scarfs.
Running high fump-Won by S. NJ. Falconer: c.
Trr~1,1 e. o -