19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, September 29–Wednesday, September 30, 1914: Guess I’ll have to commence writing about the weather. Well the weather should come in for its share of notice. You see this is fair week. I mean one with a capital F.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma—
Yeah! It’s Fair (with a capital F) week! The Milton Fair will be sooo much fun. According to last week’s paper there will be a band, a public telephone booth, and fast horses . . . AND (sigh) to keep parents happy, the fair will have a moral tone with no wheels of fortune.
The local fair was a big deal. That should give her something to write about, surely!
I agree! Fairs were extremely popular back then.
What is are wheels of fortune? Like a fortune teller? a wheel you spin that lands on a fortune? Was it thought to be blasphemes?
Diana xo
My guess is that “wheels of fortune” is an old-fashioned term for gambling wheels where players place bets on a number,
Just love Helena’s uplifted mood and sense of excitement.
She does sound excited about the fair. 🙂
I love county fairs.
So do I. 🙂
I wish we were there to spur her on!!! I know she would have a lot to say.
I know what you mean. She has no clue that writing about even the smallest thing is a meaningful activity.
The small country fairs are the best! Loved taking my children to these when they were young.
I also took my children to small country fairs. They are so much fun–the rides, the animals, the food, the people, the shows,. . . I could go on and on. 🙂
We always went to the County Fair. In fact, when I was in 4-H, I even exhibited at the County Fair. One of my best memories involves being dunked head-first into a cattle trough by a young man I was in love with, and who later became the County Attorney.
What a fun memory! I also was in 4-H, and enjoyed showing cows–but my memories don’t even come close to yours. 🙂
How exciting Fair Week must have been for Helena – maybe like the circus coming to town.
I agree–In rural areas fairs were huge events back then.
You’ve done a great job here of conveying the excitement. I can practically hear, feel, smell, and taste it — and just the atmosphere!
Thank you for the kind words. It’s good to know that it gave the feeling that I’d hope it would convey.
I hope she writes about the fair food 🙂
You’ll have to wait and see. 🙂
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can you imagine the excitement of seeing or possibly even using a telephone?! How cool is that?
Very cool 🙂