The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-08-05
Sketches Of Travel in Europe.
AN ENGLISH FAIR.

quaint old place, and after having spenl
the day lin becoming familiar with the
dwellings and associations Of generation
buried ayes ago, we determined In the
evening u make ourselves acquainted
with the ancient sports and customs still
kept alive in an English iair.
From our lodgings in the opposite Sill
burb Of the town, our WY struck into
High street Ut Pccping Tom Corner
where there is u wooden image Of thai
worthy placed at u third story window,
which Is quite the reverse oil the sneaking
Saxon villain VIC had conceived him Ia
be. Instead Of wishing TO conceal him.
self he appears to court observation, and
seems proud of his elevated und conSpicu'
Gus infamy. He is arrayed in q cooked
hat, powdered wig and u gaudily trimmed
coat ornamGntcd with huge brass buttons
and looks rs though lie might have
stepped down from behind some gentle
mans coach few minutes ago.
Peeping Tom himself u comparatively
a modern character thrust into the beau
tilul legend, in degenerate age, which
presumed to improve that Of which II
could not comprehend the beauty.
They have procession at the opening
Of tho fair, in which the representative Of
Godiva rides through tho streets accom-.
panied by persons dressed in the costumes
at ancient WORTHLESS carrying emblazoncd
banners, and marching TO the sound Of
music, while in front Peeping Tom per.
forms Ills antics dressed in the character
Of tho ancient clown. surrounded and fol.
lowed by the shouting populace The
whole bears about the same relation to
the heroic action it would commemorate,
tint tho shameless representative does 10
the modest md shrinking heroine OF tile
legend, being gotten up for the sake Of
making money by attracting large mum.
bcrs OF people 10 the falr. TO such base
ind sordid purposes tue nobleSt actions
are often made subservient.
We Joined the crowds Of people pour.
ing down High street, aud turned with
them into u narrow alley, along which We
had not proceeded fir till our eyes were
assaiIel by the figures of huge and horrld
monsters, painted upon the canvass of the
adjoining tents, and our ears by the blare
of the trumpgts within.
We first entered an enclosure devoted
10 the sale Of queenswarc. The ground
was Btrewn with plates and pitchers, cups
and saucers, basins and tePpOts, in wild
confusion and total disregard Of their
fragile character, while entrenched behind
Il solid wall Of his wares stood tho sNles'
man, gcsticulating wildly and straining
his throat in the win attempt TO drown
the voices Of his rivals and draw all the
custom to. hImSclG
But my attention was soon drawn from
the rest by Il female competitor, whose
efforts, both muscular and vocal, threw
them all into tho shade. Her appearance
was that Of the ordinary Englishwoman
OF the lower class: short, stout fig.
urc, with light hair and eyes,
and course, cxprcssionless countenance.
She was endowed, however, with CharaC-
tGristic English energy and determination.
Selling plate in each hand, she held
them alOft and clashed them together
above her head, like wild baCchante to
clashing her cynbals. Her vehement
gestures threw out the muscles Of her
bare arms, neck and face in strong relief,
and she assumed apose extremely statues
que, If not classical. The Precipitation
streamed down her flushed and distorted
visagC us she screamed aloud with frantic
vOlubility, how much am / bid set for
these plates? how much how much
give me bid, must sell cannot dwell.
Who bids n shilling for the set !? do I hear
ten pence bid eight pence? seven pences
Well damn it, can start 1t ut six pence?
six pence am bid, can l hear seven
pence? must sell cannot dwell. Well,
damn it, sold at six pence. All this in
much less time than one can relate II, and
accompanied by the inCeSSlnt din OF tho
gathering crOCkery.
Although the tair is open for the sale Of
all manner Of goods, merchandise, horses,
sheep, cattle and other commodities, We
saw noneS excepting those ranged on the
long row OfstNlls on either side Of the hall
through which We next passed, and where
we were compelled to run the gauntlet;
assaulted on all sides by tho piercing cries
OF the stall women. who Selling hold Of
our garments, screamed into our ears,
have some Of my oranges. sir? please taste
my black strap? buy n penny trumpet
please?
Fortunately we escaped from these i'm.
Fortunate females without being compelled
10 swallow any Of their nauseOus looking
stuff, and now have reached the inner cir.
Gle, where all is mirth and motion, music
and enjoyment. Here the painted clown
filings abroad his stale jokes among the
gaping crowd, standing in front Of his
painted canvass, Oching which is conceal
Gtl the great Ethiopian monster, never
before seen nor heard tell Of, but which
you may behold for only penny, which
you cxpend in good faith, but have hard.
" time 10 get behind the curtain and
catch u glimpse Of the wonder, enough TO
llcightcn your curiosity, when the lights
are cxtinguished and you are forced 10
make TASTY exit, when the performance
commences anew.
Here is a shooting gallery, sheet iron
tunnel Illuminated within, ut. the farther
end Of which is placed target, ut which
YOU are invited to shoot by tho blooming
beauty in attendance. Fired by her be.
witching smile, you seize the gun, intent
on playing the part Of Cupid; but although
you should strike the centre the ball falls
harmless 10 the ground, and Crestfallcn
you curse this irOn.hCarted age, MS you
pay your penny and depart.
Now you gaze into magic glass, and
straightway Nrc transported osolne sunllt
city In far Asia; or Time overcome by the
pathetic cntrcatics OF the song turns buck.
ward several thousand years, and you be.
hold Nlnevah in flaming ruins,-nIl for u
penny.
All round the enclosure are open booths
in which are sitting groups partaking Of
Refreshments, playing some harmless
game, Or singing some song in chorus.
Horc n fellow, mounted on the top Of n
deal table, executes clog dance, beating
time TO the music Of q fiddle. In another
booth they are dancing an old fashioned