The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-07-07
(ooMmuNIcArED.)
Ct. JOHNS DAY AT ANDERsoN--COM
MENT AT LAURENS, 60.

MENT AT LAURENS, 60.
Mr.. Editor: AS il is now almost Ii universal
custom for those who sre at all troubled with
| cacoethcs scribendi to infict upon tho readers
OF their District paper IN account Of their pore
CARNATIONS, be they long short, with your per-
mission ! will give you a hasty roview Of a
| recent jaunt to Anderson aud Laurens.
]. in company with number of others, left
off the dull routine cf business on Friday, tho
oath ult., to attend the Masonic celebration at
Anderson, at which place the iron horse soon
landed us. where we found ample preparations
made by the Brethren OF Hiram Lodge for our
accommodation. Arriving abou, 10 o'clock we
were soon sum moned to the Lodge room. The
Masonic Hall. though a very spacious room. was
crowded almost to suffocation, so large wns the
attendance and the day excessively warm.
There were about 225 Masons in the procession
and thirteen Lodges represented, among them
three from Georgia.
After a few preliminary arrangements the
procession was formed. and marched to the
johnson Female University. After prayer by
Rev. W. P. MARTIN, Hon. JAS l.. ORR was in
troduced as the orator of the day, and delivered
a forcble and argumentative address. will not
attempt asynopsis, as would doubtless do the
distinguished speaker injustice. 1t is sufficient
80 say that it was like every thing else that pro-
ceeds froom this gentlenan-sounda and logical ;
and without any labored effort to be 1owery
the speaker adhered closely to the text, making
no digressions from the appropriate line of his
discourse. The address was truly eloquent. and
calculated, in my humble judgment, to be more
beneficial 10 Masonry than any address I have
ever before heard.
A, the conclusion Of the address the process
sion returned to the Hall, and each Brother be {.
ing furnished with dinner card, proceeded to
tho Finley House, where a most sumptuoua
dinner was sspread. BY that prince of hosts, Mr.
FInLrr, proprietor of the Finley House.
Dinner being discussed and suffo quan-
tity of wine imbihed, the Regular Toas,s were
road nfter which the "volunteer'' sentiments
were called for, when several good e1tempore
speeches were made. The proceedings at the
dinner table passed off quite pleasantly. and
was truly gratified to observe that all the Breth
rem lett the festive board in soberness rather an
unusual occurrence. even among Masons, Oh such
occasions.
Dinner being over, was very kindly invited
BY my friend Mr.. JAMES A. Horr, of the Gazette,
to- ride areund the village. BY which had tho
pleasure Of seeing many OF the beautiful resi-
deaces OF that place, together with those Of
Judges WHTNER and MuNRoE, Coils J. L. ORr,
j. P. REED, d. AsHMoRE their present Repre-.
tentative to Congress and Mr.. SLOAN, Clerk of
the House Of Representatives of our State. An
dor'on is "a thriving village. and with such ci,i-
zens ns have named, she has just cause to com
pliment herself upon the high standing and re-.
spectabty Of her inhabitants
The festivities Of the dny cTosed with mag
nifcent Ball, in which I participated, nnd
though stranger to yearly every one present,
must suy never spent more pleasant evening
Much credit is due to The managers for the kind
manner in which they welcomed and n,instsred
to the comfort Of strangers visiting them OF this
occas ion.
left Anderson on the following morning, AID
having to visit Lnrrens. thereby had the oppor.
tuni.y Of attending the Commencement exer.
cises Of tho Laurensville Female College, which
began on Monday the eth ul,. The Commence.
ment sermon was preached by Rev. e. T. Bu1sr,
President Of the College. Dr. BuIsr is all able
preacher, aud handled h is subject OH this occa.
sion with his usual blity.
The examination of the casses commenced
on Monday. and continued until Wednesday, l2
O'Clock. The Chapel was so dsnscly filled ith Wis
itors who hurried to the Hall at an carly hour to
secure seats, that was nnableto get near enough
to hear distinctly all the varions questions and an.
swers, but heard enough to satisfy myself that
the examination was rigidly though fairly con.
Quoted, and the questions promptly answered.
Wednesday night was appointed for the Con-
cert. The Hall was filled to a perfect lam at an
early hour. The concert was opened nth sing.
ing. in which the young ladies of the College
generally participated. The various pieces were
we'll executed. and the young ladies acquitted
with credit, not only themselves, but their
teachers also.
Next came Prof. JAEaKR's address, which I
take for granted was good one, as I cannot
speak from anything that heard OF it. for the
noise aud disturbance. bad enough during the
previous exercises, still grew worse assuming
susre the appearance of "conversation party"
than an assemblage Of intelligent and polite ci,i
zens to listen to a we'll studied and classical nd.
dress.
On Thursday morning, Commencement Day,
the exercises were opened by the singing of
very feeling song by Mr.. HEsDEnsoN. the blind
Professor in the Cedar Springs Institute for the
Blind.
After prayer by Rev. II. D. MoonE tho com.
positions of the graduating class were read by
Rev. DAVID WILLS, one of the Professors The
compositions would have done credit to older
and more experienced heads, and I was almost
ncredulous enough TO doubt the avowed author
ship. The following are the names Of the grad
uate', and the subjects Of their compositions
>.-Miss MARY E. BYRD-Happy Home.
2.-Miss LIzzIE CRAIo-"Apples Of Gold in
Pictures Of Silver"
3.-Miss c. r. DuDLEY-Solid Literature.
4.-Miss v. e. D. EPrEs-Memories.
5.-Miss FANNY GoRE-Advantsges Arising
from Study of History.
6.-Miss MAMIE B. HAwk1rs-Bsauty and
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