Oct. 25-31
Hear a beautiful sermon from Mr. Butler.... Cousin Sarah Gilmer sends me a nice book, Morning and Night
Watches. Little Dick has his first tooth. Such barking times as we are having with the bad colds. Ma is much
better so we conclude to go on Monday 26th. Have a nice time going down. Meet Mr. B. Williams, an old
Orange friend. Got down in time for dinner and are kindly received by the household. Find Mr. Pemberton there
but am much disappointed when he tells us Prissie and Johnny Pem. are left at home; however, cousin Sop
sends off for her in the evening and she is with us to breakfast on Wednesday morning; also Kate and Henry
Eustace. Matrimony has made a decided change for the better in the latter. He charms me as a cousin, is much
of a gentleman in his manners and is as kind as possible. Seems fond of his Minor relations and says some of
his sunniest hours were spent in Albemarle. I'm introduced to his father, a pleasant old gentleman. Have a very
bad cold the day after I get down but with the help of a mustard plaster and hot bath and keeping very closely in
doors for a day on Wednesday I'm well enough to go to the fair. Visited the grounds again on Thursday and
Friday and saw all that was to be seen. Some of the horses were very handsome, particularly Red Eye and
Kosseth. The racing was exciting and seems the greatest attraction for both ladies and gentlemen. The display
of needle work and fancy fixings were very small but some of the articles were exceedingly pretty and
ingenious. Chickens were abundant from Shanghais as tall as a three years old child to the dearest little bantams
not larger than pigeons. A great variety of ducks, geese and a pair of milk white turkeys. I had also a glimpse of
a very sinister looking Buzzard feeding upon some kind of a fowl that looked and smells as if it might have
been killed during the Dog Days. Two beautiful rabbits, a number of Guinea Pigs, White Bats, Pigeons and
other small game were near neighbors. There was a great show of big potatoes, beets, onions and every variety
of vegetables. Met with a great many friends on the Fair ground and many of them I have not seen for three or
four years. The crowd of people was about the greatest sight I saw. Very cold damp weather. Have a merry time
at Cousin Sops. Prissie and Mr. Pemberton, Kate and Henry Eustace, Bolling Picket and a part of the time, John
Picket and May Bryce, beside Sue and I, making it great quarters. Mary, Molly, Betsy, Saidy, Gertie and Helen
Macmurdo have also been with us. Hear several times from home. Ma is much better. Cousin Mildred and her
big man George have made us a visit of a day and night, so Mammy E writes us. Betsy Hart calls to see us; she
is the same smart little creature we all fell in love with last summer. Miss Hartley Graham and Mrs. Wirt
Robinson also make us a call. Miss Hartley takes my fancy very much. I cannot help weaving a little web of
romance about her. There must be some story of the heart connected with her life's history. On Saturday we
went to the Mechanics Fair and what a treat it was. So many curiosities from foreign parts. A large collection of
pictures, some of them very handsome and ingenious. One a picture of Washington crossing the Delaware on
the memorable Dec. 25, 1776, and the blocks of ice were all formed of rock candy. Such a sweet picture. Then
there was Hiawatha's wooing of Minnehaha Laughing Water, "handsomest of all the women in the land of
handsome women." A great variety of fancy work, of leather, burrs, sheets and needle work of every
description. I could fill a whole page and not have begun to list all of the strange, the passing strange sights that
were before my eyes but I must not forget the American Eagle, a noble looking bird with his wings extended in
real spread eagle style. Met with Cousin Peggie Nelson; quite a treat to see a familiar face among so many
strange ones. On our return found Mr. Pemberton gone. See several of the Richmond beaux. They have such
FFV [First Family of Virginia] names.