WORCESTER SOUTH. xvii 



measured, safe, and steady gait, and was won by N3'ms : time, 6 

 minutes, 43 seconds. 



One of the neatest and i^rettiest exhibitions of the day was the 

 riding of Miss "Willard. She, with her male attendant, passed 

 round the track in her flowing robes, the observed of all obsen-ers, 

 in a horsemanlike manner, and yet with eminently maidenly gi-ace. 



The total receipts of the societ}' the past year are 82,852.85. 

 Total expenses, including premiums, 82,492.85. The receipts 

 exceeded those of last j^ear more than three hundred dollars. The 

 appraisal of the property, real and personal, exceeds the indebted- 

 ness by 84,769.66. 



One pleasing feature of this exhibition to your delegate was the 

 courtesy shown, and the entertainment afl!brded him, by Deacon 

 Shepley and Dr. A. 0. Hitchcock and his lady. 



Horace P. "Wakefield. 



WORCESTER SOUTH. 



The Fair of the Worcester South was held on Sept. 13 and 14. 

 Although near the middle of our first autumnal month, the sum- 

 mer's heat had not passed, the weather was excessively hot, and 

 clouds of dust gi-eeted everybody b}- the way and on the park. 

 Everybody was good-natured, feehng that dust was the natural 

 element from which we all come, and to which we must all return. 



The exercises commenced with the ploughing- match. I did not 

 aiTive in season to see the beginning, and but very little of the 

 actual work. I saw the result, and noted the great interest taken 

 in this feature of the fair, not only by competitors, but by specta- 

 tors. I learned that the society had adopted a new method of 

 awarding premiums, which was this : they offered a hundred dol- 

 lars in premiums, and those competing should pay ten per cent 

 entrance-fee. The man who paid his ten dollars for the privilege 

 of trjing his skill at ploughing meant business. He knew before- 

 hand, from long practice on his own farm, that he could plough 

 well, and was wilhng ^o try his hand with his brother-farmers in 

 this class. There were eight entries for the match ; and therefore 

 the society really paid twent}' dollars in this class. To say that 

 the work was well done is not enough : it was perfect, and it must 

 have been difficult for the committee to award the premiums. 



The trial of working-oxen came next ; and perhaps this is one 

 of the most prominent features of the show : indeed, it is a spe- 

 cialty at this fair ; therefore considerable time was spent with this 



