Arizona republican., 1909-11-26
GIRLS ON A BACON BAT.
Picnic Popular With Young Women
 at Eastern College.

An Englishman is on record as hay ! ing once gone on a bacon bat when | in this country.
 How was it?" he was asked upon
 his return.
 "Oh, there was plenty of bacon,
 was his response. but l didn't see any ] bat"
 | This story was being told and enjoy ! ed among a group of college girls
 aboad a ferryboat bound for the Jersey shore whose packages and bundles
 suggested picnic edibles and a lark of some kind.
 No. not a lark, for as the laughter 1 subsided one of the picnickers took firmer grasp on her square edged package. through whose wrappings slick and shiny areas were beginning
 to show the percolation of grease from within. She took a firmer grasp as
 she said:
 T certainly hope there is going to
 be plenty Of bacon on this occasion. I've made up my mind that I'm going
 to lend my every endeavor toward making this event noteworthy for the bat even more than the bacon"
 Applause from her companions showed that her sentiment was pop
 ular. The bat was to be continually in evidence. despite the EnglishufAn. No ordinary lark this.
 What is bacon bat?" repeated one of the merrymakers when questioned. Why. it is just what it sounds like; and it's a regular national institution of the autumn, at any rate among eastern college girls. Simply because we happen to be in college in New York we are not going to be deprived of the fun.
 We really have the best place to be found anywhere. we think All we have to do is to go up to the 130th street ferry, cross the Hudson, and then we have the best picnic ground in the world at our disposal whether for a bacon bat or anything else.
 But what is a bacon bat?" reiter- ated the questiOner. and the batter if that indeed is the technical name carefully examined her package to as certain whether it was right side up with no spilling before replying. . Why a bacon is a bat where the predominant characteristic is bacon" she said. "Of course the main object is to get out into the woods and have a regular lark-I mean bat-with a campfire and lots to eat and songs and all that. but it all hinges around the bacon. We know the dearest place up near Fort Lee. where conditions are perfect.
 uTafar and there are great big flat rocks. 1 perfectly clean and smooth, the most | desirable banquet tables imaginable. | But the great thing is the Oven-a na- tural oven. In reality it is a big hOl- low stump"
 And all these packages your friends are carrying-they contain the bacon"
 No. indeed" laughed she Of the grease streaks. We are all fond of on a bat-but hardly that fond. I am carrying the bacon. The rest have pickles and cookies and cakes and sandwiches and .devilled eggs and marshmelIows and potato chips and oranges and olives"
 Help" interrupted the questioner But why call it a bacon bat? Why not l pickle bat or a-
 Because" answered the proud guardian of the bacon. it is the bacon that we cook.
 'I know some girls who prefer to go -o Coney and bake their bacon in fires made in ovens scOoped out of the sand. but most of us prefer the Pal sades. It is more like a picnic and we ,an make more noise to say nothing )f the beauty of it when it puts on ts gorgeous autumn dress.
 Why. I don't know how many poems have been inspired on these ,ats. Perfectly beautiful poems. some ,f them are. See that girl over there with the green hat? She writes one .very time she goes-a brand new |. me"
 50 they are bacon batters. are hey2" said a regular patron of the erry later on. 'I didn't know the echnical term they applied to them elves, but I've noticed they always ucceed in having n good time" New fork Sun.