The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-05
SLATE MAKERS
IN ACTION AT.
WAKULLA PICNIC.
Waters of Famous Spring
Were Romance Inspiring,
According to Copy of Cor
responderfce.
lRY HERRERr FELkEl

Tallahassee, May 4-F'or fifty years
| or more the annual picnic at Wakulla
Springs has been an established inssi-
tuition. 1t is a time when candidates
for office announce and some of the
biggest states politically in Florida's
history have been made and broken
under the moss laden trees in the for
est primeval surrounding the famous
springs as clear as crystal and 1876 feet
deep.
Yesterdays outing was no exception.
Candidates and public men from
throughout the state gathered on the
first Saturday in May as usual to re-
ceive the hospitality of the good peo-
pie of Wakulla county. Both houses of
the legislature having adjourned FRI
day till Monday afternoon at O'Clock,
senators and representatives who did
not go home for the week end attend
ed the Wakulla Springs get together.
1t was an old fashioned picnic, great
baskets being opened and their con-
tents of fried chicken, big slices of
country cured ham. biscuits like
mother used to make" stuffed eggs
and plain boiled eggs and pie and cake
of all descriptions and steaming cof-
fee made on the grounds and pickles
4
ed delicacies, spread on long line of
table cloths end to end.
Those people vie with each other to
see who can bring the finest and big
gest basket, and woe be unto the yisi-
tor who is invited and does not eat.
All are welcome. City people took
kodak pictures of the spread before
the governor said grace. Few picnics
like that are held these days.
Before and after dinner hundreds
wandered down the picturesque path
to the springs. boys and girls, old men
and happy children and young men
and women forming boat parties to
float out over the springs and drop
dimes and watch them filter to the
depths below and nestle on the sands.
From the old and worm flat-bottom
canoes padded by experienced negro
boatmen they saw the rocks on the
bottom and the fish in great schools.
The tall pines on the waters edge were
reflected but even their tall, inverted
tops did not reach the foot of that great
column of bubbling water in theearth.
and the white clouds of the heavens
mingled with the blue of the sky were
reflected with the fish and the rocky
bottom and the dimes.
Though speeches many were made
and a pleasant political atmosphere was
present, the bitterness of legislative
fights and the g-rolling of candidates
were. adjourned for the day. Oppo
nents in Tallahassee stroIed arm and
arm in the shadows of the pines and
oaks where men congregate but once
each year. Picture, If you can, the
table spread. oratory ringing through
the trees, sweethearts courting. old
friends meeting and feeling of
brotherly love permeating the air.
Instead of buggies and wagons and
horses tied to trees as in the olden days
there were Fords and automobiles
parked between the trees. And they
had come over good roads. Progress
was evident in WakulIa county. The
girls were pretty and fair complex
ioned and their pretty dresses set
them off, Frequent uniforms and
overseas caps on the husky lads proved
the patriotism of the grand old coun-
ty. The people looked as they are
prosperous. happy and as honest. as
the days are long.
The political picnic at Wakulla
Springs is unique. Yesterdays was
distinct success. Long may the GUS /
tom live.