Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-10-08
Dog River Valley Fair.

We are very often reminded by those who
have gone out from us 10 seek new homes in
the great West, Of the sterile country which
we inhabit Of the severe winters which we
endure Of the rocks and hills and forests
which render uncultivablc 80 large portion
Of our Inheritance. And we are sometimes
even accused Of lack Of enterprise in remain.
ing upon the lands OF our fathers, and toling
to attain, in such an uniruitful spot, that "liv.
ing and something more" which It Is the laud.
able ambition Of almost every vermontor 10
secure. The saying I" that Vermont is good
State to be born in, provided one cmigrates
young enough" has been generally credited
with containing even more truth than isusually
included in such ajages Bot we really wish
those good souls who have cast their lot away
from us, each and every one of them, could
have been present with US this flll--frst at the
County Fair at Fast Montpelier, next at the
Mad River Valley Fair at Waits6eld, and last,
but by no means least, at the Fair Of the Dog
River Valley, at Mortified, on Wednesday and
Thursday Of last week We express the DELHI
crate conviction that any county that can du-
plicate and triplicate such exhibitions Of the
products Of the farm, the dairy, and the nimble
fingers of the women-iolk as our county has
three times brought out this fall, is not only a
good county to be horn in, but to stop in. And
we think any one may be well assured that sue
cess will follow good management, moderate
industry and common prudence as quickly here
as in almost any part Of our country while to
this may be added the fact that we live in a
moral, law abiding community, best with all
the advantages which come from free system
Of popular education, and with the multifari-
Gus advantages which flow from n settled, cult
waited and Homogeneous society. But we got
started to write Of the sights which we saw,
and what belel US, while attending the first
Annual Exhibition Of the Dpg River Valley
Fair and II We are to do any justice 10 this
subject, we must coniine ourselves to the task
at hand, and stop philosophizing.
The grounds selected for the Fair consist Of
an elevated table land, containing, we should
say, about twenty-five acres, two miles south
Of the village Of Mortified, easily accessible
by the railroad, and well adapted to this pur.
pose. Here the officers Of the society had laid
out an excellent trotting track, erected very
model of Floral Hall, provided ample accom-
modations for cattle, sheep, etc, while the ne
cessty Of erecting seats was obvated By a
sharp elevation on one side Of the fat, which
afforded all who desired fine opportunity ia
overlook the entire grounds, and gave the best
view Of the track which could be procured
anywhere Through the courtesy Of the Cen
trail Vermont railroad, special trains were run
from the depot at Mortified to the entrance
to the grounds during the entire Fair, Of
which by far the larger number Of those in at
tendance ayailed themse. ives, the fare up and
back having been placed at the low sum Of ten
cents.
Arrived on the grounds Thursday morning,
we reported for duty to the President Of the
Society, Hon. JoHS GREGORY, and as the crowd
were at this time excluded from Floral Hall to
allow the various committees an opportunity
to examine the competing articles, an excel
lent chance was afforded us for an almost
uninterrupted survey. But here we are met
With difficulty at the very outset The num-
Der Of articles presented is exceptionally large
aud they are of unusual merit. Where shall
we begin, and what shall we notice particu.
larly? 1t is clearly impossible to enumerate in
50 brief an account as ours must necessarily
be, 1.-THE OF the meritorious articles in this
hall and besides we are decidedly not the per.
son to pass any critical judgment upon the
merits of the great number of pieces of wors-
ted work of every description, nor upon the
pin cushions, tidys, fine bedspreads, rugs, en-
broideries, baby's dresses, lace collars, hand
wrought handkerchieis, cushions in tuited
work, to say nothing Of the innumerable un
mentionable articles of female apparel. No
this is clearly not our " best hold" But with
decided impression that " something must b,
did" we made our notes, and will frankly tel
our readers what particularly attracted our at
tenton, promising however, that several arti
Giles, notably rugs and bed.quilts, were hum
so high as to be entirely outside our range o
vision, and for the merits OF which we shall
have TO refer to the premium list.
There was fair display of pictures an,
paintings, some Of which, as is usual in sucl
cases, were good, and some Indifferent AmonI
those which pleased US the most was an OF
painting by Miss Minnie Moore another,
winter scene by Mrs r. A. Greene, a landscap
by Miss Anna Belknap, and four pieces q
crayon work by Miss Jennie Moulton whic
were of unusual merit. There was fine va,
cross exhibited by Miss Nellie Thayer, uniqu
worsted work picture by Mrs, George Clark
and boquet of shell flowers, brought lro1
the Barbados Islands, and entered by Mis-
Minnie Moore. Mrs. NJ. Gilman had fin
hair wreath, Miss Mary +. Tlden work DO
of Chinese pattern, Miss Ella f. Howe a
elegantly embroidered chair, Miss Abbie /
Kimball a beautiful cushion ia tufted work an
Miss Emma Wooster, Of Mansfield, a band
some afghan. John ii. Hurley exhibited n
ebony frame work, made while an imprisone
soldier with jack knife and sandpaper, whic
consisted Of 2i6 pieces he also exhibite
several nice marble picture frames. Mrs. {
B Tlden had on exhibition small burea
/ thhut W u culuduldh III AdiiiolHiN, VI ptculih
pattern, and Hon. John Gregory showed
frame consisting Of ll2 partitions, and file
with several thousand shells, all of dfierer
shape. There was also fine display OF pilot,
graphs by r. NJ. Mcintosh, handsome sho
case of perfumery by Nichols Il Williams, an
another filled with ribbons etc, from the stoi
of Chauncey Denny. A bedquilt Of 9,7e
pieces, exhibited by Miss Jane b. Ladd, of Ro,
bury, attracted great deal of attention.
We desire to acknowledge our obligations
Mrs j II. circuit, Misses Anna Belknap m
Abbie +. Kmball for information upon So
eral matters in connection with Floral Hall,
which we should otherwise have remained
ignorance. The display Of flowers and hou.
plants was very large, as it was also very fin
Among those who contributed to this pleasin
feature of the show were Mrs. w w. Run
riIl, Mrs. Asa Strong, Mrs. Il. w. How
Mary H. Amsden, Mrs Lyman Howe, Mrs. !
Braley, Mrs. j. II. 0rcutt, Mrs. F. Plume,
Mrs. o. D. Edgerton, Mrs. r b Hildretl
Mrs. A. P. Clifford, and Miss Douglass.
The display of apples was also very superio
Indeed we did not know before that so goC
fruit could be raised 10 this county. Thel
was an exhibition of seventy varieties from Il
farm owned by S p. circuit. Other prom
nent contributors to this department we
Messrs. N. w. Cady, q. s. Dole, q. B. Fis