Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-04-24
Grand Southern Relief Fair.

almost without doubt that that city will be the
place OF trial.
Grand Southern Relief Fair.
We had the pleasure Of witnessing the great
Southern Relief Fair, given in the Maryland In
stitute, in Baltimore, by the noble ladies of that
city In beholding it, we were not only pleased,
but were lost in wonder and admiration. We
more than realized. We had not the faintst
idea Of its splendid magnifcence, aud it is i'm
possible, by description, to convey to the minds
of others, who have not witnessed it, anything
like an adequate idea Gifts splendor and beauty.
Whilst we were about attempting a description
of it, we received copy Of the Norfolk Nuyi-
MAN containing about as good description as
can be given, and we publish a portion Of its
article in lieu of what we designed to say our
selves. That paper says:
Familiar with the courage and energy of the
women OF Baltimore, we felt assured when we
first learned that they intended to hold d fair
for the relief Of Southern sufferers, that it would
be splendid success We knew that they
would not be content with halfway measures.
1t was to be expected that a gratifying result
would he achieved But, with all our expecta-
tons, our fancy had never painted even a faint
shadow Of the reality. The fair was not merely
a success-it was a marvel, a wonder, prodigy,
stupendous triumph. Regarded from any
stand point, the like has never been witnessed
in this country Of ours, at least within our mem
DRY.
The variety and measure Of the contributions
to the enterprise were truly wonderful. They
comprised most valuable and trivial articles
useful and ornamental, curious, rare, and of
common every day utility. Nature, art, indus
try, and SKILL all were placed under contribution
and taxed to supply the material Of the great
Charity.
The tables were gay with fabrics of every tex
ture and quality, wrought by the cunning fingers
of the fairest and brightest of the ladies Of the
land; portraits and landscapes and historical
compositions from artists of credit and renown''
attracted the eye In every direction; there were
flowers, and running streams, and birds sweety
singing, and at night the brilliant gas-lights
flashed back from a thousand gittering points:
until the vast hall, with its perfumes, its lights,
and its presiding genii, was a scene Of enchant-
ment.
This may seem hyperboical, but it is sober
truth. The fair-room, any night during the
week, was the gayest brightest vision upon
which eyes ever rested. Standing at the South
ern end of the hall, and looking down upon the
swaying forms of the immense multitude, as it
moved EDWARDS, we were penetrated with the
conviction, that the gayest saloon of Paris at
it's period of most delirious festivity, could not
surpass in briiancy of effect the scene before
the admiring eyes OF its thousands OF spectators.
But it was not merely the endless variety of
articles of use and ornament the town lots, the
ten-acre farms, the match horses, the Devon
COWS, the Attorney bulls, the agricultural nipple
ments, the pianos, the pictures, rare cid wines
and other liquors, the diamond rings, gold
watches. the magnificent shawls, the necklace
of pearl and diamond the lunch tables groan-
ing with esculents, attended by girls as beauti-
full as the children of the morning, nor yet the
matchless display of grace and beauty, which
formed an animated ornament Of the booths
where the goods were exposed to SALE so much
as the never-ending throngs that attended upon
the occasion. Morning, noon and night did we
visit the fair room, and at every hour alike, we
found food tide Of human beings pouring in
and out, and surging round the promenade be-
tween the booths. These visitors were not to
be computed by thousands, but by tens of thou
sands, and were OF all ages, sexes and conditions
of society. So great was the crowd and so con-
tnuous, that it seriously nterfered with the sale
of the articles upon exhibition, The hall, tho
more spacious than any with which we are fam
liar was totally inadequate to the demands of
the OCCASION. Ildu IL DeoH uOuUle as ldTges IL
would hardly have afforded sufficient space to
accommodate the multitudes who focked to the
palace.
The income arising from the fair was unques-
tionably less than it would have been had the
hall afforded a better chance of exhibiting and
inspecting the goods But for all that, it was a
superb success to have realized upwards Of ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS from a fair
When was the like ever done in this country be-
fore, and that too when a very large part of the
property exposed for sale remains on hand I'M
disposed of?
A characteristic feature of this fair was the
ticles. An adventurous friend of ours from
Richmond, entered the hall one evening when
it was crowded to it's utmost capacity, and pro-
ceeded slowly with the stream down the east
aisle. When he had passed round and reached
the entrance, he was minus sum OF money
which it gave him chill to think Of and the
owner of one hundred and fifty chances, in as
many different articles, among which was a doll
baby, a dollhouse, cradle, two suits oflnfants'
clothing, lace night-cap, a box Of ladies hose,
love of a white bonnet, a gypsy straw hat, the
prettiest pair Of CATERS ever seen, hobby horse,
meerschaum pipe, bottle Of old whisky, a
demijohn of wine, silver mounted billiard cue.
an oil portrait of General Lee, an elegant At
CHAN and numerous other articles. A singular
investment for an old bachelor to make, we
would think, but we are witness to the truth
contained in his apologize statement, by
jingo, sir the ladies were so pretty and asked so
sweetly, please take chance, that they took
me, and for the life of me [ couldn't refuse the
dear, delightful creatures"
On the last night the crowd was still there,
pushing and pressing along still on every hand
were the countless articles for SALE and it really
seemed that the stock was 1lndiminShed and
the interest in the fair entirely undated.
The time for the adjournment of the present
Congress, so-called, is, on the 4th of March
next. The term of service of a of the present