Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-09-14

OluPsI houses IN Une farming SeCllOuS Oh
eastern Connecticut stand on the tops of
hills. These house locations were eX-
posed and bleak, work on the hill farms
was hard and done at a disadvantage, bat
worse than aught else was their isola
ton. This was not so much regarded in
the olden times. But as cities grew aud
/ villages increased in size and number,
/ the loneliness of these out-of-the-way
houses was emphasized. Farmers could
make living on the back hill farms,
/ but they became ambitious to do more;
and in order to accomplish this they
must get nearer the markets. Their
wives and daughters plned for the social
/ advantages to he enjoyed nearer the
cities and villages.
The western emigration fever swept
over New England and carried away
many farmers from their ancestral
! homes. Among the back-hll and long
distance farmers of eastern Connecticut,
discomfort increased. and many removed
to other farms in more favored localities
within the state. Some soId their farms.
some leased them. and others, unable to
/ do either. left them in charge of neigh
| bOrs. In time these neighbOrs often
| became their owners. Thus these farms,
although neglected and uncultivated,
were never utterly abandoned, and are
not at the present time.
These changes, brought about natural
| ly and reasonably, offered no foundation
for the charge of decadence, upon which
the changes are so persistently rung.
! Farmers did not leave their farms on ac-
count of sterilitv. They are not eX-
hausted. as has been proved by many
who have occupied them. Wealthy peo-
pie who buy them to live upon in sum-
mer do not find them unfertle. With
electric cars, telephones and other agen-
cies of modern progress, the former OBJ
| lection to living upon these out-of-the-
way farms are fast being done away
with, and in good time they will all be
re.peopled 5, Z. Reach in the.Country
! Gentleman.
5000
THE COUNTRY FAIR.
II is not necessary 10 look far to dis
cover the enormous popularity OF the
country fair.
.
and there he county fair; but it Is same
I species everywhere. whether il be held
in the capital of the state or in the chief
town Of an outlying county. The prin-
cples, the scenes. the crowds are practi-
callv the same.
The country fair is time-honOred in
stitutiOn. That fact is at the bottom of
its perennial success. If you should
visit the rooms Of any congratulated
agricultural society you will see pictures
of the fairs that were held years and
years ago-geuerslly with the governor
and other distinguished citizens standing
out prominently against background Of
lusty cattle and ropetaied horses Nor
would picture of the end-of-the-centurv
country fair differ much from an old
time picture, except nat now you would
see new styles of Dress and more ambi-
tious Enclosures. with grand stand and
a "parlor track" and all that.
The country fair is typical Of the old
fashioned New England life, and thus it
may fairly be described as R of.shoot
of the rustic exhibitions that used to be
a salient feature Of old England. over
here it has its political phase, for it
comes nc - time when politics is at
food tide; but still we observe no signs
Of its degeneration into a political gath
ering. The farmers, the cattle raisers
and the horse breeders, not to mention
the thousand and one fakirs, are still in
the front row. la short, the country
fair Is to the rural district what the Oc-
tOber exposition is to the metropolis.
1t comes Just at the right time, this
country fair. Nature Is in her loveliest
finery; the weather is perfect; the best
fruits and vegetables and flowers are just
fit to be garnered the cattle are healthy
and in good humor; the horses are ready
to race for their lives; and there are Just
enough summer visitors left to tickle the
pride of the exhibitors.
The country fair. Interesting to read
of; most interesting to see.-Boston
journal.
a yield of 100, 900, 900 barrels of apples
is expected this year.