The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-07-09
Ey Wntchman pleasc copy.


Courier, gives the following account of
ball in the mad house in the former CITY:
went out about half.pa I, p. NJ
The ball was to begin at 8. IN. b. The
unatics in the Asylum keep much more
rational hours than those out of it.1 I
found already thtrc some two or three doz-
On gentlemen Of the city and half ns many
ladies. DIR. Allen took me to the large
dining hall, tho pro tenn ballroom, before
the dancing began. Entering it. could
scarce believe but that some mistake OF To-
calities had been made. There. well clad
;, and seated quietly on opposite sides of the
huge apartment were some scventy-fvc or
one hundred persons, of both sexes, a little
talking, but very little, going on, and all
awaiting, in perfect dccorum, the entrance
OF the music and visitors 10 begin the even
ing's festivity.
The males appeared TO pay no sort of
attention to the females, hardly indeed to
be aware OF their presence; while tho fc-
males sat in equal unconsciousncss with
regard to tho others, all with lis,lcss, alb
stracted and melancholy manner, and all
alike perfectly tranquil. ] observed tha;
the men, more than the women, gave evil
dence, by the wild, vacant eye, and object
less manner, of the departed mind
TO believe them lunatics at ALL No air of
consciousness sat upon their features or
behavior, nor did any movement hcray
their knowledge Of any thing peculiar in
the!r circumstances, except that where
once or twice, persons of the city would
approach the hall entrance and look in
without entering, then some Of the females
would turn uncasily away, as though an
noyed at observation.
The appearance Of the music was like
the breaking forth Of sunshine on a cloudy
day. The heretofore sad or meaningless
faces lighted up instantly with manifest
pleasure, and the ball began.
In every set hall or more were lnnalics
Just visitors enough 10 correct mistakes,
u made, and to insure sets being filled, &c.
One needed no introduction to most of the
unfortunates You went up and spoke TO
whom You pleased. Never saw | better
order or strictcr dccorum at n dancing par
.y- and never so good in so large an as
semhly. This astonished me most of all.
There, before my eyes, perhaps in the
K same setsWfth Inc, were hopeless hallucin-
sS statesmen, md women who had been in
mates here from one TO twenty years, who
could not be trusted to put on their own
clothes, or help themselves TO food, if
alone; yet here, whether owing to The mus.
ic, the excitement of company, the dancing,
or whatever might be the cause, conduct
: ing themselves with perfect propriety, and
observing with correctness all the rules OF
ball room etiquette!
And then such and so many happy faces.
ldeclarc TO you sirs, it was worth any week
o'ordlnary existence to any person of com
mon scnsibitv, to sec these poor creatures
nG rt,fIt a..
shuddcr, or speak without some sympulhis
ing interjcction, thus smiling, dancing,
walking quietly round or sitting apart,
eagerly watching the rest, and all evident
ly enjoying the scene quite us much as
those on whom the gates " oud not close
at l2 o'clock.
Between 10 and l supper was announ-
ced. The eating room was distant some
fifty or sevenlyfive yards walk, in the 9th
or part of the large buildings. And here
again, came more as,onishmcnt to me
Certainly never before saw |, or thought
there could be so much .'method m mad
ness" Quietly, orderly, and without be-
ing told to do SO, the ]" 'atcs dropped into
procession, two and 80 together. and
marched down towards the table. ! have
seen far less order at private parties, and
never SO good at public house.
An excellent supper was spread, but
the inmates Of the asylum, noticed, waited
uniformly to be helped. Wha, was the
source or cause of this strange good order,
laskcd myself! 1t could not be the super
intendent's presence only. True, he was
there, walking about the rooms and
through the crowds as hosts ordinarily do;
and talking to all alike, sane or insane,
whom he chanccd to meet. And obscrv-
CD the lunatics particularly seek him to
talk to, us though fond of his company
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