The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-08-15
SADDLE TREE PICNIC.

mcN duu OCtsCi hAOhe
ton Unite for a Grand Occas-
ion-Dr. H. Q. Alexander and
Prof. l. O. Schaub Principal
Speakers-A Dinner, Ball
Game and "Old Maids Tea
Party" Among the Features
of the Day.
Early Thursday morning, be-
fore brea kfast, as is said by some
of those who live near by, the
crowd began to assemble at Sad
die Tree for the pleasures of a
day that was great. The crowd
is variously estimated at from
1900 to $500, and at any rate
the people were there from all
parts of the county and some
from other counties. The day
was an ideal one for an occasion
of the kind, it having rained
enough in advance of the picnic
to settle all the dust, and the
weather was fine. Perfect order
prevailed throughout the day and
nowhere was there seen any
evidence of rudeness. The people
of the Saddle Tree vicinity had
been making preparations for
this occasion for some time and
they were ready. The grounds
were cleaned up nicely and a
table had been built about 200
yards long to bear the burdens
of the dinner that was there. A
handsome Baptist church and a
nice school building, road running
between, with a beautiful grove,
constitute what is known as Sad
die Tree, and it is about ten miles
from Lumberton. DR.. H. @.
Alexander, president of the State
Farmers Union, and Prof. l. O.
Schaub, of the A. and M. College
at Raleigh, were the orators Of
the day. The local Farmers
Union, Woodmen Of the World and
Betterment Association all joined
in a united effort to make the
occasion the greatest in the his
tory of the place; and that is
what they had.
But to begin at the beginning
of the doings of the day. things
were started a-going about 1870
o'clock in the church with prayer
offered by Rev. d. B. Humphrey,
IF Raeford. Then Mr.. WIS. Cobb,
president of the county Farm
ers' Union, introduced Dr.Alexan-
der, who spoke for about an hour,
and to thesfarmers what he had to
say was worth going a long way
to hear. 1t is impossible to men.
ton, except in the briefest way, a
few of the many things he talk
ed about of special interest to the
farmer. He said the question OF
marketing crops should have
more consideration. The farmer
is the only man that does moi
price his produce; the bootblack
has his price for a shine and the
merchant has a price for every
article, but the farmer will take
whatever the buyer will pay. He
had much to say about the neces
sity of the farmers organizing
and what great things can b.
brought to pass through perfec
organization. He said that tn.
farmers were waking up to thes'
things and had begun to use thei
heads for something more thar
hat racks. He contended tina
the farmers borrow too MUCK
money-they should be none,
lenders. They are the wealtl
producers, and why not loan tn
money.
After DR.. Alexander's speed
Mr.. Cobb announced that tn
next thing would be dinner. An
as for the dinner-it was there
a plenty of it, and some to carr
home. In addition to the man
things that one would expect
find on the table were water
melons, a lot of them. To Civ
some idea, Mr.. J. E. Carlyle, {
Raft Swamp, put 60 fine ones o
the table. O! but it was a fir
table and everybody enjoyed tt
good eatings.
About 3 o'clock in the afte
noon the church bell was sounde
to assemble the people for son
more speaking. A few went
to the church and occupied sea
and waited, but no crowd. So
the suggestion Of some one M
c. B. Skipper, of Lumberto
with Mrs. w. O. Brewer,
Romeo, Fla, at the organ, start
the tune to that piece of mus
Bring Them In;;'' and tn
came in. The church was so
The Best Hour of Life