Connecticut western news., 1916-09-07
BUSINESS MEN AT PLAY
First Annual Outing at Lake BueI Big
 Success.

ln0 HTSG duuudI OuLJuS Ol GIl0 Cd' naan Business Mems Association, with clambake accompaniment, at Lake Buel, on Labor Day, was a gratifying success. Members and guests, includ ing ladies, to the number of about seventy, made the trip in automobiles, arriving at Gibson's Grove in delega ill holiday mood and high spirits. The attendance would have been much larger but for the fact that the select men of New Marlboro at the eleventh hour declared an embargo on children under 16, owing to the infantile paralysis epidemic, which diverted a number of members with families, to other points for the day; and the further fact that some members had planned long before to go elsewhere on the holiday, but would have attended if the outing had been held on the day originally designated, August 31.
 While awaiting summons to the clambake dinner, which was served at l 80, the company strolled about the charming picnic ground, indulged in boating, swinging quoit piching and otherwise cultivating an appetite. The quoit games proved an effective agency for church unity, and brought clergy and laymen into close relationships of rivalry or partnership-Pllgrims, MethOdists, Episcopalians, Baptists and Catholics working strenuously in the contests.
 When the call came for dinner there was universal scurrying for the ban quet table, which was spread in the open air, and the "bake" was served expeditiously by volunteer delegation of walters who performed their duty like veteran caterers, under the direc. tion of Charles Laffargue, chairman of the outing committee, who, by the way, is entitled to the lions share of credit for the success of the affair.
 The bake, which contained clans, fish, chicken, sweet and wbite potatoes and sweet corn, was prepared by MT. Ambach, of Great Harrington, and the general verdict was that it was "all right.
 After the dinner the guests resumed their sports, and several made trips around the beautiful lake in MT. Gibson's motor boat. There was a short program of athletics, notably standing broad jumping, in which George Laffargue proved an undisppted first, With "Dick" Smith, of Falls Village, close second; Rob. Peirce. Rev. A. B. Crichton and half dozen other athletes being nip and tuck for third.
 The tug of. war was the "piece de resis tauce'' of the athletic sports, and furnished a lot of excited amusement for the spectators, especially the ladies, who rooted and cheered for their favorite teams. Rob. Peirce otficiated as umpire. the contesting teams being as follows:
 "Handsomes' s''-Charles F. Roberts, Captain; Charles Laffargue, Philip Beal, A. H. Herriman, Rev. c. E. Gillette, Frank Blass, Clifford Babb, Joseph L. Parsons, Rev. A. B. Crich- ton, John Rodemeyer.
 Good .Lookers''-C. E. Badgley, Captain; George s. Mather. R. P. Smith, Allyn Fuller, Charles B. Shaw, Henry H. Scutt, Clayton Benjamin, George $. Fuller, John R. Fuller, Theron H. Perkins.
 Umpire Peirce got the contestants into position at their respective ends of a two-inch rope, the two captains, each weighing close to 250 pounds, at the extreme ends, and gave the signal to "pull !' the contest to be best two out of three 30.second tugs. And what a pull was there. my countrymen Every man leaned backward and tugged for all that was in hlm. It was first an inch gained for one side, then re. gained by the other. The pullers squirmed and twisted and dug their heels into the turf and grunted {; trousers buttons flew off, suspender buckles gave way, and while the strain seemed about to break the big rope in two, the umpire signalled that the 30 seconds were up, and Roberts Handsomes were winners by three inches. During the two-minutes
 T0SG, bIl0 USUAL FOluub06E U10OTlos aS to how it happened, were advanced. Captain Badgley, of the Good-Lookers, declared his side lost because both clergymen were on the other team, and the Handsomes were inspired and energized by the odor of sanctity. Herriman, however, maintained that he d1d it, himself, tugging to escape a pugnacious bulldog that butted into the game under misapprehension, and nipped viciously at his legs just as the last second elapsed, which caused him to give a spasmodic lurch that won the tug. The next two tugs-and the con- test-were won by the Badgley team. though Rector Crichton owned up that he didn't pull as hard as he could be- cause he didn't want to break the rope.
 The day was perfect. weatherwise, and the affair was characterized by good cheer and a congenial spirit throughout. President Joseph l.. Par sons, who conceived the idea of the outing, and set the machinery in