The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-30
oARIsrMAs IN THE COUNTRY.
Something about surnptuous Sumter

Something about Sumptuous Sumter
- SUMTER, December 26-s P. II.
My Dear Ne,os:-I have adopted your allit
erative style of heading, as am in particu.
larly good spirits, owing to the season and
the peculiarly Chrlstmas-like weather We are
now experiencing. All last night, and all TO-
day, 1t has been sleetlng in the most indus.
trlous manner. The streets are about ankle
deep in what looks like snow, but ls more
like salt or granulated sugar. Such fall oi
sleet has seldom, II ever, been seen south Of
Mason and Dixon's line. The atmosphere lie
intensely cold, and the children are at loss
to know how Santa Claus can keep from
freezing. Our little town has been very lively
of late. What with the rush of cotton TO
market, the crowd OF anxious presentbuy.
era, the sleet, the ball, the Chapman Sisters,
and the Monumental Fair, We have had our
hands full.
You must know that we have brand;1ew
town hall, just finished, and which would do
credit to any place In the State out of Charles
ton. 1t Is substantial frame structure, two
stories high, and measuring forty feet In
width by oRe hundred and ten In depth. The
first floor is divided 10 front by tlne passage
way, on either sidaqf which is neat store;
that on the nortkgside occupied as drug
amoug US, but one OF our most popular clli-
zens, and that on the south by MIR. W. B.
Nash, as nrst-class tobacco and liquor store.
The entire space In the rear OF these stores,
reached by the passage.way above mentioned,
is used a. market honse, and affords ample
accommodation tor tho trafdc in beef, fish,
vegetables, &C., usually fonnd In such places.
mn, sononI Noor NJ .fto><fnsildinn n 0nnnnipd
entirely by the grand with its stage and
anteroom The audien64 hall is q handsome
and spaoSous room, forty feet BY seventy-two,
with 8 sixteen feet ceiling. II Is well finished,
WITH hard white walls and q richly decorated
carnice. There are three elaborate rosettes,
from which depend three chandeliers,
ofsix lights each, In the fashionable green
bronza; these, with six, double lights In the
same style, AFFORD an excellent substitute for
gas, and ali the lamps being provided with rich.
" cut globes, produce very pleasing effect.
This hall Is approached BY Two Wide and easy
flights of steps, finished With walnut neWels,
rails and banistere. The stage is ample for all
ordinary dramatic or operatic purposes, be-
ing forty feet wide by twenty.six' deep. 1t
has slight pitch, 80 as 10 be clearly visible
from all parts of the auditorium. The pro-
scenium Is very pretty. tits all white, with a
new drop-ourtain. At the rear OF the Stage
are two dressiDg-rooms each sixteen feet
square, with q flight OF steps at the PACK, en-
tirely separate from the main entrance or The
scenery Is we'll painted, and works smoothly.
It is estimated that about three hundred per-
sons ona be comfortably seated In The ball.
OnS4e 18th instant the hall was dedicated
by,a ball, got up by subscription, for which no
Tickets were sold, but Invitations wefa Issued
Ia subscribers and few guests. Although
the weather was very unfavorable, as it had
been raining for several days, q very gcodly
number of ladies and gentlemen we're pres.
emit, some having ridden ten,. afteen and
twenty miles In the rain expressly for the oc-
eas,on. The music was unusually tne, being
performed by select quadrile orchestra,
made up OF members OF the splendid post
band, OF Columbia. The ladies were gene
rslly dressed In good taste, some. very hand,
sofnely. Your correspondent was much
pieapsd with one costume OF French rose
silk. Of q very delicate hue, with very deep
and nne aace, laid fat "ep robe," on the bot
tom of 96e skirt. Another dress OF yellow
silk. with long train, was much admired
ejso. a buff organdie, with iDnumerable pulls.
a orlmson silk, trimmed with white tarletan;
a white silk, with orange blossoms; white
sllk, trimmed with green; a white alpaca,
with cherry velvet leaves, and great many
othera In excellent taste. Aoout one O'CLOCK
s1ppef was served, and did credit to the com.
nittee. IL was very abundant, and well
cooked, and was highly appreciated and thor.
ouphly. enjoyed. Dancing was Kept up until
nearly four O'Clock In the morning.
on Saturday night the first dramatic enter
tainment in the new hall was given 6y the
troupe OF the Chapman Sisters. The audience
was large, but the performance was not OF a
character to please the tasteIof our people.
We are promised an intellectual treat next
week In the readings OF Miss Patterson, now
at Wilmington.
The second and last fair of the Ladies' Mon
umental Association commenced on Monday
night 1sd instant, and continues until to.
morrow evening. As people generally spend
money freely st this season or the year, and
as special attention has been given to Christ 4
mas and New Years presents, 1t is hoped that
a handsome amount will be realized TOR this
worthy object. The location TOR The monu-
ment has been selected, and the foundation
commenced.
While your correspondent Is peruslng these
lines, the sleet is freezing hard, and by to- \
morrow morning 1t will be In good condition
for sleishing. Surely our climate is under \
going a remarkable change. It Is 10 be hoped |
thst with the increased frigidity some of the
energy and enterprise which characterize the
inhabitapN of colder climes may be infused
into our ButherD people. JUN1Us.
p, 8. Wednesday morning.-The csld In
.creases. Thermometer in open alr th1rty-tWo
degrees of Fahrenheit. One sleigh out al.
ready. People are digging out Ice and s!eet
to open their gates.