The Farmer's Picnic

On Saturday last occurred the annual picnic of tlie farmers of Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland and Livingston counties at Whitmore Lake, and it was a great day. The weather could not have been more perfect, and as usual this was the king among picnics, and the great out-of-door event which in comparison, makes dwarfs of all others. it was, as usual, an immense gathering, the people coming by rail, in wagons and conveyances of all kinds, and tliere was no lack of foot passengers. The excursión trains were crowded. They came as in years gone by from the north and the south via the Aim Arbor liailway, and from the east and west via the Grand Trunk Railway. Early on the ground were the men with axes to grind, the jolly politician and the delightful seeker after office., also the sharpers, the chaps witli schemes to turn an honest penny. Beautiful were the songs and lively their jokes, but they were not as remunerative as in days gone by, when under a Republican administration times were better and money more plenty. We refer now to the shapers and the gamsters, for it is a very plain and emphatic fact that people do not spend money föolishly in these days, but at a Farmers' picnic they celébrate just the same, and apparently have as muoh enjoyment. But white those interested spent their time in grinding political axes and flxing up their fences, the vast body were at the picnic to have a good time, and accordingly spent the day in such a manner as best pleased themselves. There was an endless amount of boat riding, and the merrv-go-round whirled others around to their heart's content. But the great mass of people were on the ground to visit with oue another, and thus passed the time swiftly. The picnic dinner differed from the majority of those in years gone by, for there being little or no dust, there was little or no dirt to eat, and the dainty spreads were therefore without their usual flavor. One lady whose ideas of concentration were broad enough to make hér a statesman said she would like to have the eatables all stacked up in the form of a pyramid, so that a correct idea might be formed of the amount of provisions taken to a picnic. White the sight would have been a unique one, it is probably a good thing that her scheme was not feasible, for were the baking of all the ladies present to be placed on exhibition side by side, it is more than possible that jealousy would have resulted in a hair pulling match. The attendance was great, some placing it among the largest in the history of the association. The groves were fllled with teams and the roads in every were lined on either side for a long distance with farmers' rigs, man y coming from long distances. This is the one great event in the lives of some of these people, and so they come early and stay late, and make the most of the day possible. The exercises of the day, the singing, the speaking, and everything else connected with it was carried out in excellent style. The range of speech which did not include anything polititical, was quite wonderful, and all we are sorry for is that there is neither time or space to report what was said. Excellent speeches were made from different points of view by Rev. Fr. Kelly, Capt. Allen, Cyrus Starks, Henry AValdron, Rev. Fr. Goldrick, Gus. Peters, and last but not the least by any means, by Hon. II. Wirt Newkirk, of Dexter, who replied with arguments that clinched,to the "non-political" talk of some of the speakers who preceded him. It was lively and full of interest. After the speaking the association got together and chose the following oificers : President - Wm. Ball, of Hamburg. Secretary- Philip Dutfy, Nortbfield. Treasurer - A. B. Phelps, Scio. Executive Committee : W. B. Thov' pson, Salem. s. 'j'. Gridley, Livingston. Geo. McDougall, Superior. N. C. Carpenter, Pittsfield. E. A. Nordman, Lima. G. A. Peters, Scio. Wm. Glenn, Nortli Lake. H. D. Platt, Pittsfield. Cook, York. H. B. Thayer, Salem. S. L. Gage, Chelsea. L. D. Lovewell, Wayne. E. T. Walker, Salem. E. E. Leiand, Northfleld. C. M. starks, Webster. J. A. VanAtta, Salem. Geo. S. Wheeler, Salem. Wm. Ball, Hamburg. The next meeting vvill be held at Whitmore Lake on the last Saturday of August 1897.