The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-07-15
SEEING SIGHTS IN AIKEN.
E. \. Charmed With Aiken Hospital.
ity.-WriteS Interestingly Of City
OfParks.

Aiken, July Sit seems that we
can't, or rather don't, want to get
out Of the habit of writing to The
Herald and News. AS Editor Aull has
kindly offered US the continued frse-
dom Of his columns we find our
heart and pen turning back to that
particularly pleasant task Of greet
ing you through this medium and we
can't resist the temptation Of all
other old time chat
1t seems ages, though in reality its
only two months since we turned the
Prosperity letters over to our worthy
successor. And here We are away
down in Aiken. Aiken, famous for it's
climate, it's drives, its hospitality
and it's general progressiveness-
teaching drawing in the Tri-county
Institute that is being held here. Be-
fore arriving at this much talked
about place, We had the usual mis-
givings about being stranger in a
strange land, and wonderment con-
cerning our reception. But when We
stepped from the train We were met
by the county superintendent, a typi-
cal, philanthropic school man, and
given the glad hand. We were soon
made to feel at home every where,
and like the old darkey at the we'd
ding, We don't care how long it lasts.
To prove that the surroundings are
not disagreeable, but suggestive Of
things near and dear to our heart,
We have but to look out our windows
to see "Newberry street" in gilt let
ters smiling up at us and seeming to
say that after all the world-our par
ticular part of it is very small. Aside
from this happy habit Aiken has of
naming the streets for the counties,
there are evidences of "Prosperity"
everywhere. And what more could
one desire? "Tell it not in Guth nor
on the streets of Askelon," but there
was one thing the Aiken people for
got to mention-and this was truly a
fragrant error-but easily accounted
for as they are more "Crackers" than
South Carolinians-and know more
about Georgia than the pot of gold
at the foot of the Piedmont rainbow
ii. e. Newberry county). Yes, they
forgot to ask about Frog Level"
Maybe We are wrong in thinking
proximity to Georgia caused this
breach in the usual etiquette about
what shall be said to Prosperity peo-
pie, for they may be following a GER
tain injunction concerning stone cast
ing. Let this omission be due to what
soever cause it may, the fact that Ak
en- has a natural, nocturnal, never
tired concert company remains the
same.
AS a child We used to speculate up
on the poem, "Twenty Froggies Went
to School," Well, all the 20 froggies
that you, We, your relatives and
friends ever read or sang about are
all down here in this grand school, or
rather university, just on the out
skirts of Aiken. Talk about making
night hideous! These frogs can give
a sealed, signed and delivered Cat any
times contract for so doing. But then
with all these faults, We love Aiken
still-and we can but admire the cir
cumspection of the little brown and
green coated hoppers that prefer Ak
en- and Prosperity to other places
that shall be nameless for the nonce.
Jokes aside, however, for our orig
inal intention was to mention some
of the things that make Aiken UNDUE.
Ones first, last, and all-the-time i'm
preston of this city is that it is moth
ing but a delightful, long-drawn-out
parke, a succession Of parterres, yucca,
magnolia and privet that accidentally
have charming homes sandwiched in
among them The business portion
of Aiken is to all appearances close
akin TO this same section in other
cities of it's size. Il believe Aiken
boasts of 1000 inhabitants, exclusive
of it's floating population). There is
nothing just here indicative of North
ern sojourners. But not so all OF
Aiken! When one leaves Park street
and goes south, few PAGES will land
one in Yankeedom proper. We had
the good fortune to be driven over
this Kingdom of closed Doors" sew
eral times behind the mettlesome
Mowitza. Her travelled master told