Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-09-30
Barnesville District Fair.

IBdrn0SVll0 DlSJr1cG Fair.
Your reporter reached this place on
the evening on the 22d inst, and pro-
ceeeded to gather.any events that might
prove interesting to the readers of the
CHRONICLE. On the morning of the
23d we were favored with compli-
mentary by the efficient and courteous
Secretary G. II. Kemp, Esq. On enter
ing the grounds we were surprised to
| find SO few persons in attendance, and
we began an Investigation to ascertain
what class of people had stayed away,
and was surprised to find that it was the
very persons who should have patron
lied the Fair, viz: the agricultural pop
ulation. This we found by inquiry at
hotels and boarding houses, and finding
that they entertained the usual number
of guests. Private families entertain
their friends from the country. but this
year there were few visitors IN the city.
Why were the farmers absent? Because
this is the busy season and work is press
ing. This is a tobacco growing country
and the crop must he secured before
meeting-and the T. V. r. r. carried a
great many of the former patrons of this
to the Fair at Uhrichsville.
FLORAL HALL,
Presented fine appearance, but was not
so well filled as Oh former occasions and
articles were arranged promiScuously
without classification. 4 little Partisan
statuette clothed in nothing was neigh
Dor to huge pair of woolen socks,
while overhead was all the parapherna-
liza of a well ordered kitchen. Sewing
machines, saddles, grapes, hardware, ap-
Piles and pretty girls all in delightful
confusion. We must make exception,
however, in favor of the right and east
wing. Pausing a moment at the en-
trance to Eden we saw many pretty lit
tie feminine paws upraised-there was a
clashing of interjections and adjectIves
and phrases similar to, "Ohi how
sweetw "OhI how lovelyw "Ohl how
divinely unutterably beautifulr' went
floating through the air. When a lady
expresses emotional admiration the
"Oh" comes quick and sharp like the
staccato squeal from locomotive, while
the show lovely" is prolonged and ex-
tended and delayed like the payment of
taxes. A man simply gives IA prolonged
whistle followed by "golly" or "WeH I'll
be dashed" Some ladies while in the
Hall carried their parasols point down,
some carried them over their shoulder.
While in strange place we would rath-
er have an eye punched out with the
parasol of pretty girl than to have it
kicked out by mule, still the effect re-
mains the same. Having partly con-
Quered our bashfulness we make haSty
survey of the interior of the Hall. The
centre ornament in the form of an Oc-
tagonal pavilion, is nicely decorated
with flowers and evergreens and stat
uettes, and presents a nice appearance.
Having reached it from the west we en-
ter the right wing. The display here
was large and very tasteful. The entiIe
centre was occupied by the enterprising
music dealer of Wheeling, c. Y. Lucas.
This was one of the prominent features
of the Fair and worthy of special notice.
Mr.. Lucas, Mr.. Boyer, Mr.. w. w. Nc
Clellan, had made as nice arrangement
as could have been made, and the dis
play would have been creditable at any
National Exposition. Mr.. Lucas will
advertise largely in Belmont county,
and the people will know where to find
him. He kindly gave the use o, a fine
Organ to Prof. J. H. Gregg, of Barnes
vile, who with number of his class
entertained the visitors with vocal mu-
sic. Prof. Gregg is the author of the
Social Choir" a book which will sell
like wildfre, and already issued in the
third edition. He is also author of
"How to Put On Style" and other music
which has proved to be very popular. In
this wing was the Public School display
"a beautiful arrangement of cat flowers,
and the "CHILDREN's HOME" novel
and notable feature of the Fair, but not
as some supposed, an exhibit of the
County Home, but happy thought of
the ladies in favor of all little children
interested in the fair. 1t was a booth
lined with white muslin-wth gabled
front faced with delicate lace curtains,
these were looped back with sprays of
evergreen forming an alcove. From the
center in front was pendant orna-
mental basket in wood, suspended in
three chains and in the alcove was
placed dolls, toys, and an exhibit of child
Industries, all of which attracted much
attention. The words "Children's Home"
on the gable-strips in evergreen desig-
mated the exhibit. In the east wing was
display of fancy needle-work, paint
ings, silverware, minerals, birds, and
bonnets. These represented the differ
ent candidates and were made of paper,
of the coal scuttle pattern. Weavers
was very appropriately trimmed with
Pomeroy's Democrat. There was nice
display of cutlery by T. A. Rogers.
| METHUSLAH
had some articles on exhibition. There
was Bible lO7 years old; pewter plate,
15o; wine pitcher of 1872; Francis
brakes pocket book, $50 years old Mi
chael Hays, 112, and various other arti-