REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. 125 



The horses tried the track, as also did ladies and gentlemen in 

 easy carriages. The arrangement of fruits, vegetables, harness- 

 es, counterpanes, quilts, embroidery, capes, collars and skirts, 

 went on in the great hall ; peddlers made good speeches, selling 

 their Avhips and words at poverty prices, showmen banged the 

 banjo and stirred up their poor animals with sharp sticks ; while 

 the restless cattle lowed for their stanchions and their evening 

 feed at home ! So the day waned away. The departing rays 

 fell with their soft beams upon the varied foliage on the hills, 

 lighting for a few lingering moments, nature's grand cathedral, 

 the woods, into a gorgcousness of beauty, far more splendid 

 than the genius of man has, or ever can devise. Light faded, 

 men, women and children departed ; the fandango ceased to 

 move, gloom rested on the hills, few sounds were heard, but the 

 measured tread of the tired policeman, as he went his weary 

 rounds, and night was supreme over the late animated scene. 



In the language of one of the "fast gentlemen with fast nags," 

 Thursday, the second day, was a " stunner ! " The wind, sur- 

 charged with a cold, sticky vapor, moved lazily along, clinging 

 to man and beast, like the shirt of Nessus ; but the pluck of 

 Old Berkshire was up, and, rain or shine, they were determined 

 to have a good time. So the horses were brought out, and en- 

 couraged into some pretty lively paces, while the spectators 

 shivered and took the dismal droppings of about a thousand 

 indigo-colored cotton umbrellas. The great halls were crowded 

 with men, women and children, who examined and commented 

 upon each article about six times over, and then counted the 

 number of boards in the roof and braces in the frame-work of 

 the building, and wondered if it never would be done raining. 

 But before noon it became evident that rain and cold and mud 

 would get the mastery, and drive them home. The horses 

 dropped their ears and hung their heads in sleepy listlessness, and 

 indicated the strongest disposition to " turn tail to the wind." 

 Men's hats and coats looked seedy and old ; the borrowed feath- 

 ers in bonnets hung heavy and meagre, while skirts were wofully 

 bedrabbled, and clung too close to ankles unused to touch the 

 soil. It was a failure. The elements won the race and tri- 

 umphed in it, leaving every nag behind, drenched, dismal, and 

 discouraged. Then the hotels, bright parlors and inviting sit- 

 ting-rooms, opened their doors and welcomed tired visitors to 



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