The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-08-11
The Wells Valley Picnic.
tContinued from first page. ,

KNOW now Jnelf boys and girls are 40
ing in the world and to impress upon
the minds Of the young people that
though young person may make
many mistakes and have "hard row
to hoe" yet by sincerity, honesty,
perseverance, and courage it is posi-.
BILE for him to succeed.
Thirty-six years roll by, each bear
ing its burdens of sorrow and Joy,
when there comes to my ears the an.
nouncement of a picnic to be held in
the grove near Wells Tannery by the
Ladies of the Golden Eagle. Oh, how
my ears tingle with the news How
my heart bounds with delight at the
thought of beirg there! How recollec.
tion opens memory's store house OF
treasured thoughts and events so that
down the dim vistas of these receding
years | see the stage OF long ago and
the actors thereon, aud determine to
attend this 1910 picnic.
In company with Mr.. j. NJ. Slpe
and daughter, went to Hopewell by
train and thence by surrey to Wells
Tannery. The picnic was to be Sat
urday, July %, but, being anxious to
be at the picnic in good time, we
started Friday morning. Mr.. Sipe
and daughter spent the night with the
formers sister, Mrs. Newton Edwards
and / was entertained at the home OF
my cousin, James b. Horton. Cherry
Jim.
Saturday morning, at an hourwhich
seemed very early to city chap,
was informed that it was time to get
up, If | wanted any breakfast. True
to my early training, I oteyed prompt
ly and thus began the day of the pic
mic. From that moment until about
ten O'Clock, a. M, | saw some of the
most unique and mysterious objects
that have ever appeared on earth.
might have thought | was in Borneo,
the wilds of Africa, the jungles of In
dia, or almost any other haunts of the
"terrible terrors," if l had not been
previously informed TO prepare for the
worst. The last Two sentences refer TO
the fantastic parade which moved
promptly at $3.50 a. m.-the line OF
march being from Wells Tannery TO
. Tho ,,;onio n,co,,pdc opd pat,,p,, rThi g
parade was a credit to all who took
part in it and was greatly enjoyed by
all who had the pleasure of witnessing
it. | cannot describe this parade as
it deserves to be because | did not
know at the time that l was going to
write this letter, but, being lover OF
music, | remember quite distinctly the
orchestra composed of an organ rep
resenting calliope not so loud as
Barnum and Bailey's; a violin posi-
bly, used by Noah to quiet the snakes
in the ark; an accordion played by the
Norsemen when they landed on the
cost of Labrador in the year l00l; a
banjo used by the first negro brought
from Africa to Virginia about 1920,
and other instruments equally as
ancient and out of tune.
BY way of explanation, might re-
mark that these same instruments Ia
ter in the day in the hands OF the
Sprowl Orchestra and other good
players produced excellent music.
Sprowl Orchestra rendered many Sc
lections during the day and evening,
and the music was enjoyed by all
present. In fact it so worked upon the
emotions of one lady and two gentle
men that they we're compelled for a
few minutes to "skip the light fantas-
tic toe"
The parade was really the opening
feature of the picnic but hacks and
conveyances each well-iiled with hap
py people came in continuous streams
for sometime and it was estimated
that over 600 people attended the pic
mic.
Everybody seemed to belong to the
''smile club" and determined 20 make
the day one long to be remembered.
To me it was a day never TO be for.
gotten. Rip VanWinkle had been
away twenty years. and we read with
great interest of his return; but what
can anyone imagine it was to me, who
had been away thirty-six years
Schoolmates, chums, and friend:
whom had not seen in all these years
are now past life's meridian, and have
their faces turned toward the evening
of life. 1t seemed strange. We part.
ed as boys and girls; we met as "get-
ting-old" men and women. | never
fully appreciated Rips return until !
attended this picnic.
But would not forget to remark
that thirty-six years thins the ranks ot
the living, and many whom | had
known in Wells Valley have crossed
the level of time to that undiscovered
country from whose limit no travele,
ever returns.
Space, time, and words fail to ever
hint at the commingled feeling of GLAD
ness at the meeting, of JOY at the gree
ing, of lonliness for the absent, of sac
ness at the parting, and the ever-shift
ing scenes of human life, that filled my
mind and heart. / paused at one