186 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
which, it would have been difficult to trace directly, though 
the fact that a large spring near the plantation of one of our 
well-known, hospitable, country gentlemen, had been selected 
as the scene of the festival, was quite endorsement enough 
on that score. 
Before the arrival of the important day, all the minor pre- 
parations of gallantry had been made, the various parties 
of young men and girls having paired off, for the ride out 
to the spring — ^^vhich was seven miles distant — and satisfac- 
torily adjusted all other preliminaries, for the occasion. The 
gentry of both sexes from the town, and from the principal 
plantations for miles around, commenced gathering from 
every direction, and at an early hour on the auspicious morn- 
ing, moved towards the place of meeting. 
The party of which I made one, consisted of four or five 
of the gayest and handsomest girls of our town of H , 
with gallants to match " — if I may be permitted the modest 
insinuation ! Most of us were mounted on the dashing and 
spirited saddle-horses peculiar to our State, and, with the 
fearless command of accustomed riders, we gave way to our 
hilarious mood, and kept them up to their metal. Our girls 
usually ride with a boldness and a skill approached only by 
the daughters of the English country gentlemen. Those 
who preferred a more staid gait, fell back with the rear guard 
of the party, which consisted, principally, of elderly gentle- 
men, the fathers of these young girls, and other gray -haired 
citizens who yet loved ftm and good things. 
It was a delicious spring morning, and our hearts bounded 
merrily with the elastic movement of our horses. Our road 
was literally over flowers, for the barrens," through which 
we swept, form the richest natural gardens in the world^ — far 
more varied and chastely beautiful than the prairies. The 
feet of our horses were stained at every stride with the red 
juice of wild strawberries, that crouched in luscious clusters 
beneath the tinted shadows of the over-hanging flowers, and 
the fresh, soft breeze bore up to us the delicate aroma of 
