The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-09

Lorillard, E. D. Morgan, commodore
of the New York Yacht Club Herbert
L. Leeds, 3 p. Shaw, John D. Grim
minis, Butler Duncan, N. @. Reynal.
Fred Beach, Woodbury. Kane, Edward
Smith. George Smith, 81. K. Vingut,
John Thayer. and "Budd Appleton,
These are all we'll known Northern
society men, and there are still others
equally prominent whose names am
unable to recall at this moment.
The club paid 1000 for its grounds
and during the last summer expended
some 81, 900 experimenting with diff
ferent varieties of grasses for the beau
tification of the premises. The links
comprise nine holes, and the natural
beauty of the course gives il suprem-
acy, in this respect, over any OF the
Eastern links.
The Palmetto Golf Club is the only
Southern organization that is allied
with the National Golf Association,
aud its tournaments-which annually
attract crack players from all over the
country-are always held under the
auspices of the general society. The
present club house is a building that
was purchased with the land, but L
understand new and handsome struc.
ture is in contemplation.
| At Aiken the fox.hunter can enjoy
his favorite sport under the best posi-.
BILE conditions. 1t is an ideal region
for this exciting pastime, abounding
| in good covers and fine cross country
riding. For be it known, the Aiken
fox hunters do not give their hounds
a fruitless chase after an aniseed bag,
but offer them real live reynards to
pursue. No less than twenty-seven
foxes were turned into the covers the
past summer, and before long the ear
| fy morning air will echo with the
view holloa" IN true English fashion.
Mr.. Thomas Hitchcock, Jr., who
seems to set the pace in all fresh air
sports at Aiken. has built a splendid
kennel on the old Legree place, and
owns some OF the best fox-hounds in
the United States. Fourteen young
dogs have been raised here this year,
and will be hunted during the coming
season with Avant & Thayer's famous
kennel of fox. hounds which is brought
from Tennessee to Aiken every winter
and returned in the spring.
lam told that Mr.. Avant, the hand
Ter and trainer of these dogs has taken
four fifths of the premiums at field
trials durilging the last ten years.
To those who, through force of cir.
cumstances, are unable to enjoy these
more exciting phases Of outdoor life
Aiken offers many charms in the way
of beautiful drives and walks. Good
roads lead in every direction over a
rolling country. and weave perfect
network through forests of giant
pines; and the balmy air, laden with
the healing exhalations of these ever
present trees, possesses tonic qualities
which, authorities say, are not to be
found in such excellence elsewhere.
In closing this brief and all too i'm.
perfect sketch of Aiken and its attrac-
tions I must say a word about the
educational facilities offered by the lit
tie city-an all important considera-
ton to visiting families in which there
are growing children.
The chief school is Aiken Institute,
which was built by the city in 1890 al
a cost of $4,000. It is managed by
board of directors, and employs a
corps of teachers OF enviable repute.
Ali the usual branches of English are
taught, and also Latin and Greek,
modern European languages, and
music. The Institute stands near the
centre of the town, within easy walk.
| ing distance of the hotels and board
| ing houses. Discipline in the class
rooms is well.maintained, J. under
stand, and the high standard of the
school is recognized by all.
In addition to the Institute there are
number of private schools, employ
ing teachers of acknowledged ability,
at which residents for a few months
can have their smaller children we'll
taught and cared for.
it would be superauous to add that
Aiken offers abundant opportunities
| for religious worship TO the stranger
within its gates. All the leading de-
nominations-Baptist, Episcopal,
Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman
ist-are represented, and the homes
of these societies are as whole sight
ly structures, in which earnest, active
clergymen expound the Word OF
God.-T. A. in Columbia Register.