Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-09-23

cellent specimens of penmanship,
from Bailies' Commercial College at
Notwithstanding a large eques-
trian portrait of Pres't Grant, execu-
ted with pen by Mr.. Morse-and
indeed "many other articles, too
tedious to mention," as the auction
bills have it.
Twenty-three thousand people in
one crowd, make "quite many" to
put it in mild language. 1t was al
most impossible to find any particu-
lar person. The only wayto do was,
to just wait for one to come round
as Mr.. Jones, being slightly drunk,
(, said he would do, when they asked
him to take chair at the table.
Squads and crowds of men and wO-
men were scattered overthe Grounds
everywhere; and among them, Of
course, were many who could not be
called respectable. Yet there was
almost no visible drunkenness, very
little profanity, no noticeable indie
cency of conduct anywhere, and COM
paratively no disorder. The police
force was very small, and soscattered
that several gambling games were
carried on, within the Grounds, in
spite Of the regulations to the contra
ry. Many parties took their meals
in picnic fashion, and some even
brought their cooking stoves and
furniture with them. Upon the av-
erage, everybody seemed to eujoy
the occasion very much.
The "side-shows" were by no
means lacking. Wax figures, mon
stcrs, big OK, snakes, air-gun shoot
ing galleries, swings, &C., &C., called
loudly for quarters and dimes; and
the "Steam Man." a really ingenious
, though somewhat Utopian Iocomo-
tive machine, was also on exhibition.
And in another part of the Grounds,
one solitary "dog-tent' served to
remind eX-soldiers Of the gloomy
days of war, gone now, let us fondly
J hope, TO return no more forever.
One noticeable popularity of the
Fair was the absence of music. A
! good Brass Band should have been
engaged for the week. But in the
main the arrangements for the Fair
seemed TO us to have been well
planned and literally executed. We
cannot see why the people Of the
State need be sorry that the next
r ANNUAL Exhibition is to be held at
Reokuk also; and we hope that next
year the State at large will be more
generally represented.
The State Editorial Convention,
called for Wednesday afternoon, met
in the evening of that day, and
proved to be but slim affair, thinly
attended, and productive Of appar-
emily little good. 1t would seem
that the time has not yet come for a
live Press Association in Iowa. The
Poem of the evening, by Mr.. Nc
Crecry Of Dubuque, was really a fine
thing, and the Address, by Hon. +.
w. Palmer, of Des Moines, was well
received.
On Thursday evening number OF
Iowa editors accepted the most court
eously rendered hospitaliticsof Judge
: CIaggctt, Of the Constitution, and met
at his commOdious residence i'm 6
very pleasant and sociable reunion
In the very midst Of the enjoyment
Of the generous collation., we were
compelled to hurry away, to take
the train for home; and "jolly old
go" it proved to be. Crowded al
most to suffocation, we moved out
gradually as far as Alpine Station,
and there the locomotive and one
car bounded Off the track; and there
we had to wait several hours, till
! engines could be sent from Keokuk
and Ottumwa. Fortunately we then
got safely under way again, with no
bones broken except that one tie was
badly kilt inthirely. And reaching
Pella, hack-ride of some three or
four hours brought us home; and
here we are again, at your service.