Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-09-27
Mad River Valley Fair.

Waitsfield, Sept. 10Th and GOTH Tuesday
the 10Th opened lowery and wet, and {:
heavy rain the night before made the pros
pcct anything but exhilarating to those
who had the success of the fair ut heart.
But in spite of unpropitious weather the
stock came in rapidly, and the stock pens
were well filed before it was to be ex.
pectcd. Articles also came freely into
Floral and Agricultural Halls. 50 that by
afternoon the hall presented quite cheer.
full appearance.
OF course with such weather one did
not expect to see a large crowd Of people
though the society claimed that the actual
receipts were larger than on the first dav
last year, when the weather was also I'M
favorable.
The stand taken by the society last year
in excluding /" big snakes" and all lottery
concerns from the grounds was adhered to
this year, to the rejoicing Of all lovers OF
good morals and order There wer,
plenty of eating saloons where the inner
man could be refreshed at reasonable
prices, but none where the poor, thirsty
fellow could get 4 - drop O suthin'" to
keep out the wet. No doubt there were
sundrv bottles surrcpttiously struggled in
bv individuals, rs the condition of :: few
present seemed to indicate, but there was
neither selling or drinking allowed on the
ground by the powers that be. The sew
cr;ll officers performed their duties to the
satisfaction of all concerned.
The president, f. w. Bi>bcc, Esq, of
MOI etown.w was on hand smiling and atf:lble
rs usual, though some of the men suggest
ed that he gave Floral Hall and the ladies
rather more of his presence than was
actually nccdiul for the good of the soci-
ETY..
The secretary, f. a. Fisk, gave univer-
sal satisfaction, Indeed where all did so
we'll it seems useless t. specify-though
ID. G. Barnard did do himself credit AS
superintendent Of cattle, being on hand
and 1T work carly and late. e.. w. Ola
stead, AS superintendent Of Floral ii Ill was
Il sucress. though perhaps his success was
partly due to his lady helpers.
We said last year that the people of
Mad River Valley could and would do
better this year, and they did. There was
Il fine show of stock, better than is shown
at many Of the county fairs; the show il.
Agricultural Hall WAS good, and Floral
Hall far surpassed any previous year
Waitsticld Corntt Band was inattcndance
on both days, and discour>eu sweet music
rs is their wont to do on such occasions
On entering Floral Hall one was met
with a fine display of all kinds of articles.
both useful and tancitul, that are wont to
be seen in like places. There WAS u good
exhibition in the Centennial Department..
and many interesting relics were shown.
\ powder horn was exhibited by Josiah
| Holden. which WAS made by William IIol-
den with the broken blade of 4 pen knife.
while a prisoner ut Cape Britain, in 100
during the French and Indian war. The
face of King George, parrot and other
objects are craven on it. 1t i i rare curl
o,itv
Mrs \. ID. Bragg had Il bed-sprcal
woven nearly seventy wears ago bv Miss
Chloe Buck. from factory yarn that looked
* if it ight last till the next Centennial
Miss Matte Prrnti>S exhibited Il drcs,
worn hv her treat grandfather when a
baby that was brought from England and
is supposed to he two hundred years old.
Mrs F. Bushnell showed l wooden plate
tn It WAS bought for her when i little girl.
and also Il pewter porrinyer. a welding
present in lbs. Mrs. Eunice Buyce had
Il copy of the Declaration of independence
Il, il was originally printed, Al 20 al
ancient arithmetic nearly eighty years Old.
f.. A. Fisk had some old books. \
Glimpse Of GLORY" II least one hundred
and twenty-five Year, Old and n centcn-
NAL psalm book bought by Samuel Bur
nard in l116 A. -. Bragg exhibited a
looking glass one hundred and forty years
old. that WAS newly framed in 1870 bv
Villa Bragg. Mrs. \. il. Bragg had 4
print thread case seventy veaa> Old. also a
piece OF English print. piece of Miss
Anna Bacon'> wedding dress. SIN genera
tiun> ago. At the time OF the French Revo-
luton; also pieces of dress silks OF l19o.
Mrs \. Fisk exhibited Il pewter plate
ori Lintilv belonging to her grandmother
Mrs Mary Chlls, which i, at least on,
hundred years ola.
Mrs. c. u. Smith had centennial rl:.te.
of gaily painted earthen ware, and a small
pewter spoon
\ wooden spectacle case, used by Sam
uel Barnard, was exhibited 10y his great
treat grandson. X. ii. Barnard: also some
ancient >pcctaclc> with iron bows. used bv
John Barnard.
Mrs Mary Sialding had a work-box
made SHY Years a-o. that was very pref
tv. and some ancient andirons; also a
book mark SIXTY years old.
Among more modern cuI io>itic>, tn
Arab and Chinese slippers were unique
and really curiosities.
ID. ). >toddlrd's army whiting attract
ed deserved attention. Several mcers-
chaum pipe bowls. whitfield from laurel
root and carved in 4 manner that showed
cons siderable ingenuity, were among the
articles exhibited; but :, small box, with Il
jiyht-litiny lid, showed the finer work
manship. Though not more than two by
two inches square. Yet there are many
words carved on it. beside the American
eagle and a representation of ID. ). StYd-
dard in the act of firing Il cannon, and il
really resembles him, too. though the fc:,-
lures are too small to be distinct; but the
dress and form are Il fac-simile. All this
delicate carving was done with the small
blade of 4 pocket knife.
OF bed quilts, though there were 4 less
number on exhibition than last wear. vet
those shown were very good Mrs. L. III
Mc-illi>ter's butterfly quilt was a very
pretty one. and Mrs. +. +. Joslvn had a |
nice one, while little Miss Aggie Prenti>s
came to the front with Il quilt piercd be-
iOl Z sic WIS 'lSuI years Olu--pFttlN well
for these legt nerate times Mrs. j. Fos>
took the first premium on log-cabin quilts,
which was Il very nice one. Miss Abbic
Tor had another almost as good, and
Mrs. +. ID. Griffith had one of two thou
sand one hundred and eighty-tour pieces
there were other pretty quilts that we have
not space to notice.
There was Il good variety of rugs. and
kinds. Mrs. w. +. Widers drawnin
rug was Il beauty; also Mrs. $ NJ. Tur
ners. and several others had rugs of the
same kind that We're worthy OF notice had
we space. Mrs. Lucy Rice had the incest
braided rug, though Mrs. l.. ID. Savage
and Mrs. a. NJ. Pierce had very h,n,lsone
ones; Mrs. Savage also had Il nice che
nellie rug.
Mrs. Lewis Baglcy had some beautiful
rag Competing; also Mrs. A. NJ. Pierce.
Mrs f. Ainsworth had forty yards of very
nice carpeting and some pretty stair car
petiny.