Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-07-19
!. From the ISairmont virglnian. Of tine list Inst.

From the Fairmont Virglnian, Of the LIST INST
A Gala Day.
Saturday last. was a gala day IN Fair
mont. Early Friday evening. strangers
began 10 make THAR app appearances IN town:
and by night the houses were all well
filled. ON Saturday morning, the Nor
gantown band made its appearance
known by disconrsing sweet music as II
passed along the streets, even before some
of us had taken breakfast. And for hours
afterwards, the people were constantly
coming in from this and the surrounding
counties. They came hither some to
Participate in and some simply to Wit
ness the Masonic celebration of st.
Johns day-the 9th of June.
Atthe appointed hour, the /" brethren OF
this mystic tie" marshaled by A. S. Hay.
den. ESQ. marched from their Hall, and
formed on Main street into a" column of
double files' stretching so far that 1t
would not have required a great many
more of the brethren to measure the
whole length of the street. The Nor
nantown and Fairmont brass bands were
stationed at appropriate places IN the
line. And then. keeping time, with tue
inspiring horns and the esprit stlrlng
drum" the brethren of the order deco
rated with rich regalia, and bearing the
insignia of the craft, marched through
our principal streets, across the bridge
and through several streets in Palatlne.
and thence back to this place and to the
Methodist Protestant church. From our
office we could see the procession as d
wound its way over the bridge and along
the streets of Palatine, and could hear
the music, which was by distance mel
lowed down TO soothing soItness and but
for the absence of prancing steeds, we
could have fancied that we saw before us
one Of those magnificent cavalcade, which
we're so often seen in England in the days
of chivalry, and which Sir Walter Scott
has made visible reality to US all. The
day when the deeds of " dherring- doe, "
were recounted by every fire side instead
of being spread abroad in the news papers,
when every gallant knight had his fayre
ludye" to protect and honor.-and when
the strong arm and stout heart were ne
cessary to keep the william" and the
boor in their places,-wcre almost pass
ing before our eyes. From among the
"knights" who were here present, we
could have chosen the gallant Athclstane,
the Black Prince and Frlar Tuck. though
this last was not a knight among the
yoemen that crowded our streets we could
have laid our hands upon" merrie Robin
Hood" and his band of skllful archers
while from many window glanced eyes
that would not have "paled'their inettectu-
al fire. before the glowing orbs Of the fair
Rebecca, nor been put to shame By those
" deeply, darkly, beautifully blue" ones
whose cOntding expression and winning
loveIinnesS brought the noble lvanhoe to
the feet OF the Lady Rowena. AT any
rate. we have as brave and as good mon
now as ever lived and we have as beau
tiful and as lOveab'e ladies as ever caused
the breaking of u heart or a lance. and
" hose smiles are not less potent now than
when none but Z" the brave deserved or
won J." the fair"
We left the Masons at church. We
were at the door when they went in. but
fOrcSeeing how great crowd there would
be in the church, and rs the hour was one
for which we had previous engagement.
we did not go in and of course did not
hear the speech. We haze less reason
now, to regret our absence than we had
for the orators brethren having unani
mouSly asked for copy Of the address
to publish, their request was granted, and
the address may accordingly be found in
our paper Of today. Every reader will
be able TO form his own opinion as 10 its
merits. Ours is, that it is a good address,
one we'll calculated, except the opening.
whereia it is IL little uncharitable to the
world. to produce n good impression up
on an audience and upon its readers. 1t
is less ornate and more practical than we
had expected to find it, and has the ear.
marks Of u mathematician upon it. We
can recommend it for the peru al Of all
especially for those who have lurking pre-
JUDGES against the order.
After the address was concluded, the
procession took up its march, and proceed
ed to their Hall.
The music of the two bands was ADM.
rable. We thought at the time. and still
think. that the Morgantown band made
better music. and performed more skill
IDLY and arttsrica ly than our own. But
we have heard it said by some persons
and perhaps by some who are better
qualified than we e judge-that the for
mer band executed lis pieces too rapidly.
Which ever was entitled to the palm, the
music of either, stirred US up like the
sound of a trumpet ; and when the Nor
gantOnians played % Hail Columbia" in
front of our office. we felt as if we were
not at all afraid Of the " Britishers," and
longing to huzza for Uncle Sam ourself,
we were prepared TO make all due allow.
ance for the gentlemen. who inspired by
the OCCASION, and " something else, made
ballroom Of the street. and tipped it for
some time " on the light fantastic toe." to
the great delight Of the surrounding ad-
mlrers OF saltatory exercises.
The day was wound up by Fair at the
"old brick" And here we come back