Antiquity At The Fair

In Floral Hall, and most attractive among the attractions that deft ladies' hands wrought out for the pleasure of fair seers, and for the greater pleasure of beating the other woman, stood a cabinet of antique pottery. No piece was allowed to enter the presence of this antique 400, that had not a half century to its credit of years, in age. And of all the pieces, no two were alike. It may seem a little hard to believe, but upon good authority we were informed that the gigantic piece of pottery crowning the whole was the only foot-bath (of the kind) in Washtenaw county. There were dinner plates, tea plates, cups, cers, pitchers and bowls of all sizes, shapes, and of peculiarly rich designs. Among the most rare was a gift from the mother of Mr. F. H. Mills, the genial secretary, and the only pieces added during the fair. Many of these articles are worth more than their weight in gold, even in monometaHic times. The collection is one that it would be very difficult if at all possible to duplícate, and represents twentyfive years of the most thoughtful care and the greatest determination on the part of the collector, Mrs. J, Willard Babbitt, of Ypsilanti. It has been picked up through the years, a piece here and another there, all the gifts of those who have been awakened by the zeal of Mrs. Babbitt to the real significance of such a collection. Every one of the Argus readers in whose hands there are rare pieces of pottery ought to be represented ' in this memorial cabinet that some day ought to be added to the treasures of the art section of our State University museum.