The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-11-10 00:00:00

MR DMICIIENTER NATrRNALIA.

Young I hirchetter bed whet the Yankees gall a
" One high time " petard's', when ISM onset"' the
only eemie meta to be holed in the whole drama of
owlet life in Oorehester, Life in serious enough, and
few indeed are the opportimitiee of relexation, SIP if
by any legitimate way there can be prorillisl a means
by which the man of business shall forget his cares,
and the working man his toil, in their interest in
the delights and pleasures of boyhond and youth, he
surely must be ernbled and trusty indeed who would
"Hew it. Jielinel by the ordinary laws el society, it
newt Ise admitted to le indefeneible, but taking
Into consideration the intense gran flaitiim it
affords to the young folks, and the infinitesimal
amount of damage and annoyance canned thereby, who
can find it in his conscience to oppose the carnival?
From the authorities of the town no ercouragrment sit
received, and. of course, none is expected, the pro
meters being amply satisfied with "permisnion." and
what we might almost call then's of the town foe this
night only, kindly granted by the Mayor and Corpora.
tion. Without such consent, of worse, thedemonstration
would be an impossibility, and as we are told the
whele thing it would not be in consonanee
with the traditions of the civic authority of l)or-
cheeter to take any action which might be construed
into an emoouragerrtent of lawleseneri and disorder.
It ham been this scrupulous regard fly precedent, we
presume, thst:haa induced the Council to decline any
active part in the demonstration and which led to
the refusal of • request recently made by the corn.
mines.
Made wise by pain expenenons, • compact was
entered into between the lkwehesiusr and Weymouth
committees to bold their demonstrations on different
nights, in order hat opportunity should be aftsmied
to the participants of both to exchange 'aka, thee
augmenting both displays. The result ham fully
testified to the wisdom of this arrangement. On
several occasions, it will be remembereel, the towns
clashed, the result necessarily being that the pro-
cessions at each place lost many attractive features
they would otherwise have poeseesed.
Actuated by this friendly apirit, therefore, a frond
contingent was formed here on Wednesday night,
the principal feature being a meek Mayor and Cor-
poration, which, in full civic glory, with beadles, mace
bearers and police constable*, proceeded to Wey-
mouth, and, it is needles, to say, were the admired of
all beholders. Ilefons leaning the went), town, how-
ever, the detour of the place waa made, being attended
in their perambulation by crowds of yountretera, who
gazed with Joy unspeakable on the caricature of the
friend on their boyhood —the r.lionnim. 'l'ho
" Mayor" was • resplendently attired inili•idual with
fur-lined cloak, while the " councillora" were, with
careful ngarrl for appearances, attired in the sable
garments and high hats which thu members of the
Corporation diaplay on state occasions. Very sew ttttt ely
and sedately did they accomplish the tour of the
town, preceded by two musicians, after the fashion
of the Sheriff's trumpeters. It wax a well.con•
wired and capitally arranged joke, and, it is
scarcely necessary to add, canned great amenement,
not only to outsiders but to nitincillors theme-Ives.
Yesterday, as the Custom now gee., proceeding,
commenced about noon by • pmeession a is eirgae.
To waist in this display a number of Jonathan Cooke
famous lenisaleine had been annieed from their winter
retreat at Weymouth and tranaported to the eiiiinty
town, and the experienora of the docile beasts were we
fear not of a most pleasureable description. We do
not for • moment lay the charge of
cruelty to their gallant riders, but when • man eatride
• donkey has considerable difficulty in keeping his
legs off the ground the natural inference is that a
donkey IS not quite the animal nature ordained he
should ride. The midday Procession is quite extra-
official, and is intended for three ardent spirits with
whom patience is not a virtue, and with whom this little
demonstration acts as • kind of safety valve for their
pent-up enthusiasm. The procession however,
caused great fun. It was preceded by a nondescript
band, the musicians being attired in utrious fancy
costumes. One fair creature in muslin attired played
the cornet, an elderly lady in • huge poke bonnet
the dr.—- and indescnbsi

r
.., drum, policemen and ii ibableis various
tither instrument.. The proceten....i consisted of a
number of knights, clowns, and jesters, soma on
honteback and others on the donkeys &formai& One
of these devoted animals was made the object of
murh merciless fun by being labelled "Hobert the
Devil "(aft., the famous Derby winner), and priced
at xi A pretty feature in one of the vehicles
was an Italian fortune teller, an exceedingly clever
Imperyonation.