Fairland Sketch

Sketch of Fairland

Source:  Burnet Bulletin, 25 May 1899
Transcribed by JoAnn Myers, Nov 2005


Sketch of Fairland
Editor Bulletin:

One of the first places to which a stranger is taken in Backbone valley is a little village called Fairland, just a mile from the foot of the mountain.  It contains a Depot, a Post office, a cotton gin, a mill, a pecan polisher, a blacksmith shop, with several dwelling houses. 

The Depot is kept by a popular and well known gentleman, of this place, C. R. Wood.  He is tall and slender, a noble American style countenance; a head that would please a painter; and some slight furrows on his brow shos that wasted thought has been busy here, his eye still beams with the fire of intelligence.  There is something in his whole appearance that indicates a being of a different order from the bustling race around him.  He has a park near the depot, in which he entertains his lady friends, who visit him often, by giving them beautiful flowers.

Next is the Post Office, which is kept by a handsome young gentleman of about twenty in appearance, tall and slender.  He is a Grant by birth, and has been called by name, Noah from infancy.

The gin, mill and polisher are run by steam and a host of men, with the aid of the "boss," who is from the tribe of Curses, and well known the name Boss.

The blacksmith shop is kept by Mr. Lawhorn.  He has the work of Fairland, and is kept busy.

In the center of this little village is the mansion of F. H. Holloway, where dwells he and his wife.

Fairland likewise has its sages and great men, and one of the most important of the present time is F. H. Holloway, a tall, jolly gentleman of a cadaverous commenance, full of cavities and projections.  He is much admired by old and young.  All consider him as a kind of guide.  He is a great reader of almanacs and newspapers and is much given to pore over alarming accidents of plots, comspiracies, fires, earthquakes and most of all, diseases.  He has always some dismal joke to deal out to his dealers, who he has great influence over, and thus at the same time puts both sould and body in an uproar.  Although he afterwards gets them in good spirits.

Just north of F. H. Holloway's residence is a small neighborhood, consisting of a cluster of very venerable and debilitated houses, which are also owned by F. H. H., and accommodate his renters, who cultivate his farm, with comfortable homes for their families.  They raise mostly corn, cotton and grain with some few vegetables, watermelons, rabbits, etc.

The Baptist church bounds this little place on the west, and the Crownover Chapel School house with several dwellings bound it on the east.  The Chapel is the great mart of learning.

In the most venerable and cultured little place have I passed many quiet years of existence, comfortably lodged in an old dwelling, which bears the marks of having seen better days, but however shack it is, it affords me great pleasure to still abide therein.

Fairland has its long catalogue of village wonders, which its inhabitants consider great.  It also has its antiquated folks and fashions.  Here flourish in great preservation many of the holiday games and customs of your.  The young people send "love-letters" on valentine day; the girls get kissed under mistletoe on Christmas; go picnicing on 1st of May and 4th of July, etc.
 

 

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