The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-13
DOINGS At THE STATE FAIR.
A Rainy Day-The Tournnment-A
Grand Ball.
rFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT !


1t is tradition here that Jupiter Pluvius
smiles upon the State Fair, and the Oldest resi-
dent can only call to mind one or two occa-
sions when the festivities of fair week were
interrupted by unwelcome rains. The fair has
hitherto been prognostic OF fine weather, but
this year it failed. The City of Columbia got
out of its bed this morning, and while discuss
ing its poached egg and morning newspaper at
its early and frugal breakfast read with alarm
in the unerring forecaste of the Signal Service
department that "southerly winds and rain"
were probable for the south Atlantic States.
The gloomy prediction was speedily verified,
and before ten o'clock the rain was falling In
determined, relentless way that boded no good
to the fair. 1t was sad blow to the State Agri-
cultural and Mechanical Society. The exhibition
had just been fairly organized, ,and with pleasant
weather during the remainder of the week
would doubtless have been an eminent sue
cess; but the iates wllled otherwise, the rain
fell alike on the just and the unjust, and the
pleasure of the fair, for this day at least, was
DESTROYED. The attendance was good, how
ever, and the dlscomforts OF the day were en-
dured with that easy good nature that always
prevails In crowd whose only rdlSon d'etre is
the gregariousness of the human animal. The
programme for the day was adhered to, and
much interest was manifested In each event.
The various committees accomplished large
amounts OF work. inspecting the articles Of
fered for exhibition and watching the busy
play of the machines. An excellent trial OF
the twenty-one cotton gins was made, each
gin being allowed three pounds to saw,
and each machine carrying thirty or
forty saws. The stock was duly inspected,
and the ribbon Of victory fastened to such OF
the honored cattle as the judges deemed
worthy Of that distinction. A game OF base
ball was played between the Mutual and the
Robert E. Lee clubs, resulting In victory for
the former, By score OF 26 to o.. The tourna,
ment, which had been necessarily postponed
Yesterday, also took place. There were four
prizes offered for the tournament and they
were carried off by Messrs. Hammett, Beau
ford, James and Muldrow. The "tin cup"
which Is an honorable distinction accruiDg to
the worst rider, was won by Mr. Levy. After
this came trotting match for one hundred
dollars, mile heats, best three out OF five. For
this there were only two entries--Hickory
Jack and Boyce & Co.'s Rip Rap-and the race
was gallantly won by the first named horse In
2:5i; 2:5l and 2:5l4. This closed the days
amusement, and carriages and umbrellas
moved homeward.
The event of this evening In the city has
been, of course. the annual ball of the South
Carolina Club. The best hall In the place (Er-
win's) had been engaged, the rather irregular
floor had been nicely waxed, and every ar
rangement made to insure pleasant even.
Ing. The general management was In the
hands of the executive committee OF The club.
headed by Major william T. Gary, president,
assisted by an efficient reception committee,
General J. B. Kershaw, chairman; music com.
mittee, Mr.. ]. N. Rhett, chairman; committee
on supper, Colonel A. G.. Haskell, chairman,
and floor committee. whereof the principal
manager was Carlos Tracy, Esq. The mem
bers OF the committees were designated by
various badges, that of the president,
Major Gary, being particularly noticeable. It
was handsome rosette of blue corded
ribbon, with fringed streamers, quite as sig.
niacant and much more appropriate than tn tne
little red ribbon of the Legion OF Honor that
has decorated many worst mans breast.
The party was an early one, and the bugle
blast for the first quadrille was sounded
promptly at eight o'clock. Most OF the guests
were present at that hour, and before ten
o'clock the floor was crowded, and the os!i
was pronounced success. From ten O'Clock
till midnight were the pleasantest hours OF the
ball, and during those two hours the little hall
contained as fair convocation OF the "beauty
and the chivalry" of this good old State as was
ever witnessed. Returning 10 my quiet quar-.
ters, and endeavoring to recall the events OF
the night, find 1t difficult to remember the
names OF q 1.-THE of the fair ladies whose pres
ence graced this second reunion OF the South
Carolina Club, but among them were Miss Annie
Hampton. Miss Preston and Mrs. Dr.. Darby,
Miss Jordan, the three Misses Aldrich, Miss
Connor, Miss Russell, Gan Augusta belle) Miss
Bonham, Miss Wlgfall, Miss Moore, the two
Misses Gary, Miss Kershaw. Mrs. George Tup-
per, and last and least lin years and inches)
Miss Dora Tupper, darling child, not yet 10
her teens, but with the air Of a queen and the
beauty of goddess. 1t is perhaps unfair to
make such partial enumeration OF the ladies'
who honored this evenings party, but, how
ever grateful the tack might be, 1t would be
almost impossible to designate all of the fair
women and brave men who trod the floor of
Erwin Hall tonight. 1t was acorruscation of
beauty, of which have caught and reflected
only spark here and there. There were
fourteen dances on the card, arranged In the
good eld-fashioned style of the galop, waltz
and polka. alternating with cotillons ranging
from the Bouquet to Les Lanciers, and it was
not until the church bells chimed the hour OF
two and chanticleer croaked his saucy
challenge to the coming day, that the merry
party took to their carriages and rolled home
To dream of their South Carolina ball of'7l.
B.W.T T.