PETERSFIELD.
Though we are sometimes considered somewhat ‟slow coach” in the ordinary way, Petersfield can, on an emergency, ‟put on the steam,” and fairly compete with other towns which make more pretension. This has been pre-eminently the case in the commemoration of the Prince of Wales’s marriage, which was carried out with great spirit. As we stated last week, a treat to the children, and a dinner to the working people of Petersfield, Sheet, Buriton, Lower Weston, and Nursted, were to be the principal features in the day’s arrangements, and these were excellently carried out. The fund raised amounted to about £140, which enabled the committee to do everything on a liberal scale. The rejoicings may be said to have commenced as early as Saturday, when at twelve o’clock, a joyous peal of welcome sounded out from the old church tower. The erection of the spacious tent in the Square was most successfully effected, under the superintendence of W. Adams, Esq., and excited great interest for some days previous. This giant structure measured 72 feet by 125 feet, and was composed of scaffold poles, and covered in with rick cloths, kindly lent by the builders and farmers in the town and neighbourhood. The statue of William III was completely enclosed, and on the railing which surround it was erected a platform for the band. The tent was ornamented with evergreens and flags, bearing appropriate designs and mottoes. The morning of the 10th was ushered in with a merry peal from the church bells, which rung at intervals throughout the day. A salute of 21 guns was fired, and during the day several volleys were fired from the top of the church tower. As twelve o’clock approached, the children, with bright and happy faces, came. trooping in from all directions, in such numbers that we could but wonder where they had all been stowed away. Arrived at the Square, they were mad to fall in in pairs, and marched off with flying banners, headed by the drum and fife band of the 12th Hants Rifle Volunteer Corps, the rear being brought up by the Haslemere band, the members of both bands decorated with white favors, and the members of the committee being distinguished by a piece of white ribbon round the left arm. Having paraded through the principal streets, the procession wended its way back Square, and here a glorious sight met the children’s eager gaze. Hundreds upon hundreds of plum cakes, piles of oranges, gallons of wine, set out for the delectation of the 560 little ones, who, after feasting to their hearts’ content, sung the National Anthem, with an additional verse suited to the occasion, concluding with a series of hearty cheers, and then proceeded to the Heath, where were provided games, races for prizes, &e., &c., The children disposed of, the adults, numbering upwards of one thousand, took their places at the tables, which groaned beneath the weight of good things 1,000Ibs. of beef and mutton, 1,000lbs. bread, 800lbs. of plum pudding, 2lbs. mustard, 7ibs. salt, 200 gallons of ale. As the entire spread lay before us, we could but wonder what was to become of it all, but before a quarter of an hour had elapsed, it was very evident that the committee had not miscalculated the appetites with which they had to deal. To see those men, women, and lads eat! They surely must have ‟laid by” for this dinner for a week at least. The huge joints of roast and boiled, presided over by 50 carvers, and handed about by as many waiters, disappeared as if by magic, and the plum puddings followed in their wake. The band kept up a constant round of inspiriting airs during dinner, and when dinner was over, three cheers for the Queen and the royal bride and bridegroom were proposed by the Rev. J. M. Sumner, and received with deafening cheers. Each man was then furnished with a pipe and “screw” of tobacco, and having disposed of this, they dispersed till seven o’clock, when they re-assembled on the Heath to witness the display of fireworks. In addition to the above, the committee distributed 2s. 6d. each to all the sick and infirm poor in the district, and the Guardians gave a treat to the inmates of the Union. At 8 30, the hour appointed for the bonfires, these beacon lights began simultaneously to blaze away on the neighbouring hills—Col. Nicholson’s on War down, Mr. W. Seward’s on Butser Hill, and a third on Wetham Hill, and from the top of Rams Hill we could plainly distinguish that on Chanctonbury, making several visible from that point. The weather was bright and pleasant (with the exception of a slight shower or two In the forenoon) and nothing could have been a more complete success than the whole affair, and we are sure the marriage day of the Prince of Wales will long live in the memories of all who took part in the proceedings as one characterised by thorough enjoyment and kindly feelings among all classes. We have omitted to mention that some houses in the town displayed some tasteful decorations; the lamps in the Square were filled with colored glass, bearing the Prince of Wales’s plume, and when lighted up presented a very pretty effect. Churcher’s college was illuminated in the evening, and there was also a very effective transparency over the doorway.