The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-22
THE DARLINGTON FAIR.
A GoodIy Gathering-Comparative Mer.
Its OF tho State and County Fairs.
,..... .,,,, avn, onpopupo,nz,n1

DARLINGTON, November 20.
The readers of TIE NEWS would long since
have had a description OF the Darlington
Agricultural and Mechanical Fair If your cor
respondent had not been absent from home
He found It convenient to attend the State
Fair, and consequently has been dlsinclned
for some days to engage in the serious busl.
ness of life. This dlsincllnatlon will not be
difficult of explanation when 1t is understood
that he ia bachelor, and that the exhibition
of beautiful girls at Columbia was positively
bewilderiDg.
The Darlington Fair was great, and In
some respects wonderful, success. The Inn.
poyerished condition of the country and the
absolute uncertainty Of lis political future
made the idea OF fair two years ago appear
| fmpractlcable, except 10 few enterprls:ng
seoretary and treasurer Of the fair company,
than whom Darlington has no more worthy OF
public-spirlted son.
to the opening of the fair were anything but
favorable; our people therefore were sooubly
they beheld the sun rise clear and bright from
his eastern couch. Will they ever forget that
morning, with lts hustle and coniuslon,. Is
lows and hopes? Other occasioss they had
witnessed of more general importance, but
never had Darlington 80 oeslirred herself OF
exhibited 30 much m life and prosperity; and
although the people rejoice In anything that
promotes the welfare of the whole country,
vet they feel peculiar pleasure In knowing
that their county is not behind the diners ID
enterprise and public spirit.
Ere the sun had risen, on the first day OF the
fair, the streets presepted stirring scene:
impatient steeds dashed to and iro, as II
anxious TO begin the contest; wagons, laden
with the products OF the SOIL, or Win NOISY
poultry and cattle, passed Slowly on 10 Ihe
Fair Grounds; old people an2 cnlldren, youog
maldens and besux, poured In from every
quarter, their Joyous faces giving to the scene
an aspect of happy contentment; Mother
Nature even put on her most oenlgnant smile,
and added much to the general JOY. In the
meantime all was bustle and activity at the
Fair Grounds Fifty workmen piled the nam.
mer and the saw, and the WORK Wnlcn Ead
been left undone the day before went up as II
by magic.
and the hundreds of visitors already collected
ontsIde began to enter. II was not long be-
fore the spacious hall used principally for the
exhibition of fancy articles was crowded With
eager sighl-seers. OF course this place proved
most attractive for the ladies'; at any rate,
there they were, and the babel Of comments
and calculations that continually went up
still rings In the ears OF your correspondent.
Let me observe here, psrenthetlcally, that
can stand the conversation Of one or Two wo-
men for q short time as we'll as any man; but
deliver me from crowd OF q hundred or
more, who are all giving an opinion at the
same time. Without the slightest disposition to
listen manifested.
shall not, at this late day, enter into the
particulars OF the exhibition. Suffice 1t to
say, that 1t was emiDently credltable to the
people OF the county, and fully evlnced thelr
ability to overcome the most trying difficult
ties. All who attended felt that a great sue.
cess had been achieved, and fresh Impetus
given to the industrial pursuits of the county.
would remark generally here that however
important State fairs and National fairs may
be, they do not in my opinion compare In the
benefits which they produce to county fairs
| 1t Ia by all means important to have both, bu,
it ls the county fairs that bring the various
questions OF agriculture apd mechanics home
to the people, and excite among all classes
that generous emulation which Is 30 impor
tanC In the success OF any thing. All can at
tend the county fairs, exhibit their articles and
receive proper attention and ecouragement
| Comparatively few are able to visit the State
| fairs, and many Of those who do are mer
chants, drummers and the like, who desire
| only medium for the advertisement of thell
| wares and merchandise.
The Darlington Fair Company is now es
tablished on firm basis. The earnings o.
| the last fair, besides paying. all expenses
went far to llquldate the Indebtedness of thu
company. With the grounds beauIided anc
| improved, and with ample funds, the fair mex
year will no doubt surpsss its predecessors.