The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-05-05
THE CHARITY FAIR.
A BRILLIANT AND COMPLETE SUCCESS
THE SEVERAL TABLES AND THEIR DEcoRA'
TIONS. go.
a WILDERNESS OF BEAUTY, RAFFLES
AND GRAB BAGS.
aw1Lt YOU TAKE A cHANcE'"
THE COUP D'GIL IN The HALL.

] the several Catholic congregations VI O"S
tom have combined for the purpose OF hololne
a Fa;r.n Hibernian Hall was last evening
+brown open to large, brilliant and fashion
able gathering.
| The object of the Fair is to aid the female
orphans under the charge of the Sisters oil
Mercy, in Queen-street, the male orphans IN
der the charge of the Sisters Of Mercy in Cam
non.street, and in aid Of the Ursuline Convent
in Columbia. To achieve this noble pur'
pose and ensure the largest success, months
of preparation have been given. Through
correspondence with kindred societies,
church organizations, and personal friends
in various parts Of the United States,
from st. Louis TO- New Orleans, and from New
York to Washington, the fair hands of ladies
in all sections Of the country have worked In
defatieably in the fabrication Of the beautiful
articles which form the attractions OF the oc-
cssiou.S.Not-m merely the ladies, but bishops,
merchants, lawyers, priests, ns well as public
men and shrinking, delicate women, have lent
their best efforts to accomplish happy result;
30 that the Fair is really representative, to a
very considerable extent, Of that spirit OF be-
neyolence and charity which so largely char
acterizes the Catholic world.
/ The management was assigned to 8 commit
tee OF gentlemen, Of whom Mr.. John F. ONeill
acted as chairman, John B. LATTE as secreta-
nv. and II. W. ST Amand as treasurer. Sub
committees were appointed on finance deco
Erations, rafles, music, and for other purposes,
and from the first beginning Of the undertake
ing twas directed upon 9 well considered and
well organized plan Of operations. The most
perfect system has marked every step in the
progress Of the preparations.
In all Fairs the first attraction is OF course
the beauty Of their decorations, and those
who we're present last evening must have
been struck by the remarkable contrast be-
tween the tasteful, symmetrical and plctu-
resoe embellishments and those which are
usually thrown telter-skeltm together when a
Fair is on the carpet, and are expected to form
of their own sweet accord o graceful and har-
monious whole. This remarkable feature OF
the present Fair is DIE to- the Committee OF
Arrangements, acting in consultation with Mr.
@. Werner, the Tubal Cain OF Charleston, who
caused to be prepared q series OF beautiful
scrolls Of iron representing at the summit a
Gothic crcs5,. below which is q large heart.
encircled ana supported by additional
wreaths Of ofmetal. These were covered with
eyerereens and flowers, but 80 adroitly ar
ranged, as to present an entirely different ana
brilliant appearance over each table, although
the general outline was the same. Some OF
them we're made tc cgleam as If set with bril-
iiants, tho gas light playing upon the bauDles
Erefracted at asthousand angles, creating
grand kaleidosccpio illumination like 30 many
gigantic iiiamenos in . setting OF emerald
green. Others had no ornament but the pale
green and the pallid rose; one other at least
was .thiexly studded with golden pelatted
lilies, which, waved their lovely shapes
above the loveher forms that fitted fairy
like around the tables. The SCROLLS OF
flowers to which we have referred, fourteen
in number, rested Like huge crowns upon o
corresponding number Of tables which ocou-
pied both sides OF the hall Two OF these tables
were appropriated to the purposes OF refresh
ment, and it is needless to say that they were
the lettering place during the evening OF many
fond and hungry couple, who mingled senti-
ment and stewed oysters, passion and pates,
poetry and pigs feet, in delicious alienation.
These tables we're fayorite place.
The stage was occupied by the Pc: Band,
which from seven to eleven treated the au-
dience to selection of their finest airs. I'm
,mediately in front OF the stage WAS square
enclosure, which had been very sensibly re-
served for the use Of q committee OF gentle
men to whom was assigned the superintend-
ence OF all rafles. It is known to all Falr-goers
that few rafies take place without dissatisfying
somebody who may not be present atthe mo-
Ement; but the arrangements made In the pre-
sent instance are such as to preclude everything
like Misrepresentation, confusion or mistake.
The rattle lists, as filed at the different tables,
are handed to this committee, to whom is also
given the prizes TO be disposed OF. From this
time the whole matter rests with them. They
are alone responsible for the safe delivery OF
the articles won to the person who wins them,
or his accredited representative. A most e1-
cellent plan.
In front Of this enclosure stand was erect
ed, on which rests very beautiful marble soda
fountain, and IS the temperature during the
evening was at an African standpoint. crowds
of ladies and their partners INDUCED in reci-
procal toolings-of, as they buried their pro-
bosces in the healthy effervescence Of the
glass. It was, emphatically,
.sSoda, soda, everywhere,
And nothing else to drink"
Nay! We correct ourselves. There was a
Jacobs well-a well, too, that made The mod
ern Jacobs, who drank from its depths, hesi-
tate whether to bestow their admiration upon
the blonde divinity who presided over its hid
den sweets or upon the gorgeous conooction
which, like truth, lay at its bottom.
THE TABLES.
Although the tables represented the untirng
labors Of the congregations OF the different
Catholic churches in the city, q particular
table could not be assigned to each church by
name, and the tables will therefore be described
seriatin,-table No. 1 being the first on the
right Of the main entrance, and table No. Il
the first on the left. .-itE.
We will suppose the reader to be at the door.
Turning, as he enters, to the right, his eye will
be attracted by very handsome table (No. y,
fairly loaded down with toys, china ornaments,
purses, dolls, vases, and every variety
|6f curiosity . calculated to delight the