The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-05-15
OF A PICNIC
FORTY.FOUR YEARS AGO

The abundant rain of Monday re-
calls similar condition of the wealth
er which occurred in Newberry forty
four years ago. It was the first Tues
uay in May, 1873, that the Newberry
Female Academy had set for its an
nual picnic The clouds on Monday
looked ominous and foreboding for the
next day was one of pleasure to the
large number of young women whose
tutelage was presided over so faith
fully by the late Capt. A. P. Pifer.
Tuesday morning the clouds rolled
DO from a never-ending stream from
the southeastern horizon. The Wa
g6ns and the baskets and the girls
not least important in the programme,
but pretty and vivacious, as the writ
er can testify as to girls of those
days who are now matrons Of New
berry-all had been assembled at the
academy, prepared to make the trip
to Mendenhail:s mill on Bush river.
But no sooner than the time had ar
rived for the trip than the rain be-
gan to descend. One series of clouds
would roll by. the sun would dawn
out in. dazzling splendor and hope
would be aindled in the hearts of the
young men-plenty of them had been
lnvited-and the girls, when bigger
and bigger clouds with an ever-ln-
creasing doWnpour of rain would
emerge from the horizon.
I1I fnI RI No
one of the party. He had no sisters
going to school, but-well, boy
would have a poor showing at pic
mic with no sister if he did not have
some other boys sister to look at
even if he ventured no further-yet
he could not go, for it was publica-
tion day In the Herald Office. He had
a good point Of observation-for
clouds, girls, wagons, baskets, from
the rear window of the Herald Office,
which was then located in the SEE
ond story Of the wooden building
which after the fire of March, 1877,
gave place to the Mower building at
the corner of Main and College (Ad-
ams) streets.
The front of the academv building
(now the residence Of Mr.. JOS. Mann
seemed Hike a beehive Of activity,
as the girls and young men would
swarm in and out of the building ,ss
the showers would descend and cease.
It was evident as the day sped
along. that it would be Impossible to
hold the picnic, and it had to be post
poned.
So with the exception of the first
week in May, 1891, the rainfall for
similar periods has never been ex
ceeded since 1873. The rainfall here
in Columbia last Monday was EOS
inches. Neither has it been so co'd
in May during similar peTfods. In
May 1891. the centennial anniversary
of Columbia was celebrated and all
who participated in the celebration
will we'll remember the muddy condi-
tion of Main street for the military
parade.
The above recollections are intro
ductory to personal incident which
occurred n the Herald Office. The
writer VS. an apprentice and had
lcc1 The printers devil about four
months. The late Thomas F. Creme
ker was the editor and proprietor or
the Herald and he was making laud-
able effort to get a scoop on his neigh
Dor of The Progressive Age as to the
outcome Of the picnic. A picnic In
those days was a-well, it was pic
nic-ncne Of your three-couples af-
fairs, but 1t presented all the people
from pater familias on down to the
two-year old. Everybody went-was
exepcted to go and take along hamp-
ers of fried chicken and. pies and
such things. The H. C. L. was not
in it-nobody cared anything about
anybody or anything with such I'm
trimmings" in those halcyon days.
The hour for going to press was
imminent-12 o'clock noon. Capt.
Pifer wasn't a weather prophet even
il the writer had been one Of his most
adorable pupils before he left the
boys in the fall of 1859 and decided
to become the Dedagogue Of the New
berry girls. He had a strenuous
time trying to control the girls from
taking the risk Of the clouds and hold
ing the picnic at all hazards.
At last the venerable editor-he
was not so old then, but he always
appeared venerable to the printers
boy-decided on the cast which he
would give to the Herald's account
of the picnic. 1t was a desperate
case. He seized the first scrap OF
paper at hand and dashed off-no,
he didn't do it that way; it was not
modern days then in country print
ing Offices. He just took from his
desk on the right hand side of the
room next to the passage way which
separated the Herald Office from the
adjoining building-I can see Yhfm
now at the desk by the window open
ling on the passage way-an enVel-
ope which had come with letter
through the mail and carefully, with
tho nooct nainstakino care wrote an