The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-10-07
The B A Fair.

The thirteenth annual exhibition of the Bal
dwin Augusta Fair commenced on Tuesday
last, under rather unpropitious circumstances.
The day was inclement and attendance quite
small The number of entries, however, is
larger than at any previous year, and as a
general thing the stock and articles was ex-
cellent. Among the exhibitors of fine horses,
were DR.. S. Harnsberger, r. S. Payne, II. z.
Dickinson, Thos Jefferson, R. G. Byers, Col.
J. L. Peyton and others. The cattle embraced
some magnificent specimen, some OF which
were from the herds of A NJ Bowman, G. j.
Pratt. Geo. Chrisman, Sam'l Frank, Willard
Gilkeson, j. F. Clemmer and others The
sheep exhibit is very fine, the owners being
Bateman and Hamilton, A. NJ Bowman, g. j.
Pratt, NJ F. Gilkeson, G. E. Smucker and 9th
ers. The hogs are hard to beat. Messrs. Bow
man, Harnsberger. Pratt, Churchman and
others being the exhibitors. The collection
of poultry cf all descriptions Is large and en-
braces many rare specimens OF the feathery
tribes. In the machinery line, Messrs. Lynn
& Eyler have an extensive assortment, as have
also the Stauuton Iron Works Co., I'll. F.
.Yle & Co., The Broadway Manufacturing
Co., and other firms Messrs. Clinedinst &
Bodell exhibit several of their elegant buggies,
and the establishment of J. NJ Hardy is also
splendidly represented.
In the ladies department of the rotunda are
found about the usual number of handsome
and useful articles. All manner of embroid-
cries, crocheting, lace-work, worsted-work,
quilts, rugs, afghans, papier mache, wax
flowers. decorated pottery &c. Particularly
noticeable in the embroidery list is a hand
some cloak for child, the work OF Mrs. Bum
gardner, and toilet cushion in white satin
and chenille embroidery by Miss M. B. Frost.
Also dress for child in darned nett by Miss
Frost, and an exquisite hand made baby dress,
the work of Mrs. Happier aged 63. And still
more remarkable some specimens of very
handsome embroidery on flannel by Miss
Sarah Fuller, aged SO. We were shown
counterpart made a hundred years ago of flax
grown, spun and woven by the same hands,
lady of Allegheny. There are quilts of every
gorgeous dye and every imaginable shape, the
hexagonal, the asteroid the perpendicular and
the horizontal-quilts that bewildered the eye
and confused all sense of shape. size OF color.
Passing into the more substantial domain of
uphoIstering &C., we came upon handsome
set of furniture shown by Messrs. Bickle. Three
separate exhibits of collins by Messrs. Bickle
and Wilkes of this place and one by Hum
phreys of Brdgewater. These were all ele-
giant specimens of workmanship in their mag
ty trimming They really invested the idea of
death with a sense of luxury. The soft death
and dreamful ease" of Keats imagination was
made reality by our undertakers who seem
in league to rob the tyrant of his terrors. Maj.
Newton runs the sewing machine department
with his inimiiable Davis" doing wonders i'll
the way of frils, tucks and bindings by sim
pie revolution Of the balance Wheel Near by |
is the musical department represented only by |
a number of handsome and sweet toned organs |
OF the Estey manufacture and shown of to adj
vantage by the agent, Mr.. PAUL. Our pOpu-
lar florist Trenary exhibits an attractive col
lection of plants and blooming flowers, lovely |
and fragrant as flowers only are at this season.
Tuesday only two races took place The En-
glish two mile flat race open to all, was won
by J. W. Garth's Maidstone" With K. Kerrs
viva" second The one mile heat for horses
owned only in Augusta county, was won by
the well known favorite Scratch" Tom
Collins" being only half length behind.
SECOND DAY.
The weather yesterday was fair and cool
and the attendance excellent. Early in the
day the country people began to pour in and