ii4 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 



shoes for pennies, accompanied with a daily diet of rum. The 

 records show frequent brawls and fighting, sometimes among 

 themselves, sometimes with kindred spirits from Londonderry, 

 who were not averse to liquor at home or abroad. The annual 

 reproduction of Donnybrook Fair by our Scotch-Irish neighbors 

 included the more lively features of its old-world model. The 

 reverend historian of Londonderry, with an unusual devotion to 

 truth, says that this fair " proved a moral nuisance, attracting 

 chiefly the more corrupt portion of the community and exhibit- 

 ing for successive days in each year scenes of vice and folly in 

 some of their worst forms." These fairs were attended by large 

 delegations of the rougher element of Derryfield. Our limits 

 permit us to give no more than the setting and outline of the 

 picture ; details are not difficult to be supplied, since the same 

 causes and like effects still surround us. 



DERRYFIELD SOCIAL LIBRARY. 



An opportunity has been afforded us to examine the book of 

 records of the " Social Library," which has never been printed. 

 Contrary to our first design, which contemplated a mere epito- 

 me, we have thought best to reproduce the entire record, with 

 the exception of the charter, which may be found in the first 

 number of the published papers of the " Manchester Historic 

 Association." A verbatim copy follows : 



At a Library Meeting held December 12th, 1796 



Voted to form a society by the name of the Proprietors of The Social Li- 

 brary in Derryfield — 



Voted To Raise Two Dollars on each Right or share 



Voted Capt John Goffe Clerk to said Meeting 



Voted Daniel Davis Receive the money & purchase the books 



At a Library Meeting held January 12th 1797 

 Voted Capt John Goffe Moderator 

 Voted Daniel Davis Librarian & Clerk 

 Voted Capt John Perham Daniel Davis & John Goffe Inspectors 



