A WOODLAND SCENE. 15 



always patriotic. The visitors then proceed to 

 the tables groaning under the choice stores 

 of Kentucky's prolific land. To toasts and 

 speeches succeed the dance — groups in fairy- 

 like attire, fluttering in the woodland recesses, 

 looking like the meeting of divinities of clas- 

 sic story, or the genii of mytholigic lore. 



In the hilarity of the fete, all unhesitatingly 

 mingle — no ball-room etiquette, artifice or pomp 

 to alloy their pleasures. Some, ignoring the 

 dance, show their dexterity at the rifle, or dis- 

 play the swiftness of their fine Yirginian 

 coursers ; hunters relate their exploits, and tra- 

 vellers tell their tales. 



At length comes the preparation for depar- 

 ture, when, loth to separate, the lover hastens to 

 escort his fair one, friend seizes the arm of friend, 

 families gather into loving groups for their 

 homeward journey, and so ends a Kentucky 

 Barbecue. 



A rare fertility characterizes the State of Ken- 

 tucky as it verges southwards toward the lands 

 of Tennessee. Here a sweep of the so-called 

 *' Barrens" may be seen enameled with flowers, 

 numberless, and richly dyed, over which the 

 south wind blows, wafting their fragrance, or 

 clothed with magnificent crops of Indian corn, 

 from ten to fifteen feet in height, of tobacco, or 

 of wheat waving and golden. 



