The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-07-26
P%ortcrsviile Regatta and Church
Fair.

sSs
assembly of race boats and skiffS
than those engaged in the regatta
at Potersville on the 18th ult., has
been rarely witnessed on the sound
coast, Twenty.seycn were entered
| in the race, but three of them broke
down and could not finish the last
round; of these, two were from
Bayou La Batre, and ole from
Scranton. The particular details OF
the race | cannot automatically give,
therefore, | will Contine myself
merely to what facts | am certain
of. Of the SecOnd-class boats,
Peter Burke, of Bayou La Batre,
took a prize consisting OF ten dol
lars in gold and a new boat, name
unknown, from Bayou Coz Dlnde
took one, butt have never learned
of what it consisted.
OF our fair, | am proud to say
that it is %unrivalled, for country
place. Much credit is due to the
noble ladies', who conducted the
fair, for preparations were made
for about five hundred persons, and
over eleven hundred were there;
then, lady readers of the DEMO
CRAT-STAR, | appeal to your
knowledge of h~ousewifery, to
know, if wonderful management
and economy, must not have been
exercised to provide any semblance
of plenty for twice the number pre-
pared tor. think it is worthy il
comparison to the miracle OF feed
ing a multitude with five fish and
seven loavts. Yet, | have heard
much complaint, and from ladies,
too. | defy ORy lady to conduct
the making of coffee and "gumbo"
mot to speak Of other Dishes and
succeed better in accommodating
eleven hundred persons than this
lady did at poitersville. Not more
than twenty-five ladies and bali
dozen gentlemen served all these
people alternately, for one whole
day aud night. How beautiful the
zeal and devotion OF these gentle
men and ladies, who for twenty
four hours lost sleep, and in ali this
insutferable warm weather, stood
at the tables, regardless of fatigue,
for the benefit of their church and
to build u good Catholic school i'll
our neigbborhood. They were not
remuneratcd, they derived no pleas
m'e apart from what they felt III
discharging a sacred duty to their
church and the little ones Vt their
neiglborhood, yet they complained
not; then, is it for those who had
nothing else TO do but enjoy, to
complain. Oh, tor shamei Let
this rebuke the complainers. l
hope the guests from Pascagoula
and Scranton felt repaid for COM
ing, aud agree with me that oar
fair was a decided success. There
was no spirituOuS liquors nor dis
order allowed, and everything
passed Oft very quietly and smotll-
ly. Dancing commenced early at
night, on II platform eighty feet
square, and elevated four or five
feet above the ground, and access
able by a flight of steps. On one
side of this elevated amphitbeater,
u rude orchestra was constructed
for the musicians, and gas lamps
on tail posts, were placed at dis.
taeces of eight or ten feet apart
the whole extent of the platform,
enclosed with rough, but comforta-
BILE benches. | have eve wit
messed a finer assembly of youth,
beauty and grace, than kept time
to Prof: Glass; splendid band that
night, and conspicuous among the
finest specimens OF Mobile, Scsan-
ton and other places, was that of
Portersville and its environing
DeighbOrhood. To add yet another
charm to our grand amusement,
the able and well.known Father
Ryan delivered several short adj.
dresses. | did not hear distinctly
owing to the press Ut the eager
listeners, bSt it msst Rave been
worthy the eloquent ~tteliveTer, by
the loud applause that baiIsd it.
Many of the prominent men OF
Mobile took an unlimited interest
i'll our fair, especially the generous
and aduirable Peter Burke, who
~teReleYetl gratis the services cf his
magnificent HoH steamer, John L,
Moore, for the beneet Of our school
building fund. We appreciate his
interest, aud accept it is u testi
monial of his gratsfaf remembrance
for the heaTtfeas sTTppoTs our pre-.
cinct gave him in the last political
campaign.
The most astonishing feature o.
all to nae, - that ret a gnat oil
mosquito was felt, and here they
are usually very troublesome
There ape two cDiglusions to bt
drawn FROM this fact, N is, they
were '9Iussiars," and fed from band
and crowd, and the ether ", they
may have sipped lager-beer.
In conelusiony we earnestly tbatA
the public for their extensive pa
tronage at cur fair.
Respectfully