The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-04-19
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OUR FAIR.

On last Friday we we're approached
eagerly by friend, who clasped US
" the hand, and after exchanging
over the genial prospects
or fair weather, the first in month,
when he broke off and remarked, old
'ellow, why don't you give US some
hing every week about the Fair and
some horse talk thrown in. We chat
led some moments with our old
friend, convinced him we had done
our share Of duty to the Fair Asso-
citation, and refusing to drink with
him because we could not as yet get
one Of Levin's ice Lemonades, we
hobbled back to our cottage home.
Reader, we had rot been long home
we'll seated in our old chair, when it
suddenly occurred to US, that it was
the anniversary of the great race OF
Lecomte and Lexington:-7:26-|
1888 3-4, and that twenty-five years
ago it had occurred, we were mark
ed participant in it, and that the re-
marks of our FREUD must have been
inspired by the thought Of this ami
versary. Be this as it may, we must
acknowledge to peculiar and pensive
thoughts of our own on the occasion,
and must Irvine them together as an
incentive to our friends Of the Rap
ides Agricultural Fair Association.
Early on the morning of that memo:
rable day, Saturday, April l4th,
1854, there came out from the St.
Charles Hotel small crowd of Ra
pidians, one of whom was the writer
of this, who entered in an already Sc
cured omnibus and were driven to
the stable ofLecomte at the old Met
arie Course, there to be in time for
the coming race ahead of the rush,
the crowd, and to partake of a coun-
try race track breakfast. How the
old phrenzy comes over US, how our
thoughts we'll up, at the bare men
ton of this, to US, memorable and
happy day, but kind readers how it
is mourned as we now know that all
our then companions, faithful and
true men, have gone to their long
hereafter and that solitary and alone
we are left to cord the pensive fact
and weep for that happy past. Our
companions and friends on that &C
casion were men of the best days of
Rapides, and we have only to men
tion their names to receive the YER
dict that we are right in thus class
ing them: Col. T. j. Wells, James
A. McWaters, L. A. Stafford, S. X.
johnson and James Raleigh. The
last mentioned one was an honest,
humble and skillful mechanic, whom
Col. Wells had expressly taken to
New Orleans to shoe Lecomte, and he
was by no means an intrusion on oul
then happy crowd. Here again
crowd on us pleasingly and happily
the grand race, the grand crowd, the
grand day and how Rapides' invinci.
bic racing colors were carried to the
front by the peerless son of Boston
and Reel, but we must check them
and dropping a friends tear to the
memory of our departedifriends pro.
coed in very. few lines to close this
rambling article. lsa@
The men who compose our Fail
Association are in many respects
worthy to wear and use the mantle
for Rapides, which has fallen on
their shoulders, if not by inheritance
as least by choice, and to again bring
her colors to the front. We know
from coming preparations, and the
earnest by which they are directed
that we are to have ouraFourth An
nual Fair on a footing and on scale
of liberality, unsurpassed in Louisi
ana, and this notice of the fact or
our part cannot be considered full
some, but merits to be heralded in
more rounded phrases, than we have
at our pencils point. We urge the
public of our Town and Parish tt
rally to the standard of our Fair ant
once more permit it to bask under
the sunshine of their approving
smiles, and under no circumstances tx
throw as much as the smallest peb
BILE in its progressive path.
| o~~-,~-0~~~~~
SCHUYLER CoLFAx, thelate Vice
President, has great reputation fol
smiling and really is known by thu
soubriQ'set of the great smiler, but W
begin to believe his laurels are il
great danger of being snatched from
him in and around Alexandria,