Taghconic; Or, Letters and Legends about Our Summer Home

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. ABOUT OUR CATTLE SHOW. The Festival of all festivals, the two days for which, in the opinion of our rural population, all other days in the round year were made, are those of the Cattle Show and Fair of the County Agricultural Society. This is the shining goal of the year's race. Dreaming of a silver cup, or at least honorable mention, at the great anniversary, the farmer tills his soil, tends his flocks and herds, and is careful for many things, in sunshine and storm. For the same momentous occasion the busy fingers of his wife and daughters are plied, --while in the dairy, cleanliest receptacles are filled with balls of golden-hued butter, and cylinders of odorous cheese. In chambers, too, quaintly variegated needleworks bud and blossom, and snowy webs issue from the antique loom. Nor do the taper fingers of more dainty ladies disdain to contend for the silver spoons; while retired gentlemen of fortune take a notable pride in the display of luscious fruit and mammoth vegetables. The village beaux prize the day as an occasion for the exhibition of superior gallantry; and the village magnates aspire to the offices in the gift of the Society as no small distinctions in themselves, and possibly--pardon the suspicion--as stepping-stones to more substantial honors. Few among us but are at least amateurs in agricultural affairs, so that when the great festival of Ceres approaches, our mountain Microcosmos is all agog with excitement. The country around is in a ferment of preparation. Now is the harvest of the village tailors; now the paraphernalia of the village belles is cunningly renovated; ah! if we could take a sly peep beneath the arcana of the fair artificers' hearts, what murderous designs might be revealed! I think I see them now, amid a ...