Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 17.djvu/266

 258 Southern Historical Society Papers,

stationed on the platform on the pedestal, took pictures of them and of the scene in general. Mr. Thomas Christian also photographed the crowd on Broad street.

THE GIRLS AT THE ROPES.

The lively strains of Dixie had roused the enthusiasm of the people to a great pitch, and as Wagon No. i drew up to a point near the derrick the drawers of it received an ovation of cheers.

The parade was now dismissed as to these and they were desired to move on and clear the way for the approach of the pullers of No. 2 wagon. Here one of the ropes of No. i was cut ; but all the same several hundred men continued to pull at it, and with it made the circuit of the monument before they discovered that they were draw- ing nothing but a rope.

The greatest enthusiasm of all the evening was manifested when the wagon drawn by ladies and girls approached, for then the huzzars were long and loud.

ROPE APPROPRIATION.

As soon as it was discovered there was no further use for the ropes for hauling purposes, the work of private appropriation began. A sudden light seemed to dawn upon the pullers that some souvenir was the appropriate thing for such an occasion, and as the rope was about the only available stuff, the cutting was at once begun. Pocket knives were drawn, and many men and boys began to sever the hemp. The rope, as soon as cut, was unravelled, and most of it distributed to those who happened to be near the possessor of it. Many persons got pieces fully a yard long, and then forming a company made a dividend to the shareholders. The ladies, as soon as they became owners of any of the precious strands, adorned their gowns with it by tying it through the button-holes, and the men either hid the hemp in their pockets, or followed the example of the fair sex. Some of the members of Lee Camp and the policemen at once began to stop the people from destroying the rope, but such acts as these can hardly ever be stopped, and popular approval was with the cutters. As soon as the idea had germinated, everybody wanted a piece of rope, and the majority were going to get it. This they did, and the man with a sharp pocket-knife was a lord among his fellows. About one-fourth of the ropes, which are the property of Mr. W. A. O.