Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-05-11
Fairs i'm Germany.

These fairs, like our cattle-shows and
country agricultural gatherings, bring
people together from all parts Of the ad-
jacent country But in Germany the OBJ
ject is not merely an exhibition of the
results of different industries. The
articles are exposed with view to sale I;
business is combined with pleasure, the
concourse of people attracted including
many who look upon the fair as an orpor-
tunity for purchasing whatever they may
be in need of. 5000.
In Germany almost every region has its
peculiar industry, which the people follow
from one generation to another without a
thought IF change The son succeeds his
Iatner IN the occupation which has been
handed down in the family from 'time
immemorial,'' until it has come to be re-
garded as sort of inheritance. Thus one
district is famous for its produce, another
for its live stock, a third for the peculiar
excellence of its woolens, ana so on. From
the Tyrol, for instance, come many beau
tiful specimens of woOd-Carving that have
become so popular as household orna-
ments within the last few years. In the
long winter evenings, when outdoor
work is slack, the peasant Of the 1yrol
amuses himself with his knife, and en-
ploys his Imagination in working out all
manner of designs in wood. Some Of
these carvings are most tasteful and inge-
NOUS, and comprise great variety OF
articles, some of them useful as well as
ornamental, such as spoons, forks, knives,
rulers, bowls, picture-frames, animals of
all kinds, and even statuettes OF dis
tinguished persons. At the next fair the
peasant has an opportunity of adding TO
his scanty means by the sale OF these
graceful works.
Another feature of these German fairs
is the great variety of costumes that meet
the eye. Accustomed to country like
our own, where one style of dress pre-
walls from Maine TO California, the Amer
lean or English traveller cannot fail to be
amused by this diversity in the matter of
toilets. Every district in Germany has
its own costume, so that one familiar
with the country need only to look at the
dress of a peasant to know to what region
he or she belongs. Some OF these cos
tunes are pretty and graceful, others have
no claim to notice save their oddly.
One that strikes the visitor with sense
of amazement to behold its peculiarly
and the discomfort attendant upon wear
ing il is the costume Of the women of
heavy skirt of black broadcloth, gathered
in pleats sometimes six inches deep, and
depending straight from the waist to the
ankles. The weight of such a garment
can be easily estimated, and il would
seem as IL such burden could not be
supported without injury to the health of
the wearer. Yet the Dachau female
peasant adorns herself in robe of this
a 81 oil VI
ever they may occur, either in the depths
of winter or the heat Of summer. They
are also worn by young children, and the
straps by which they are supported some
times render the shoulders callOus by
their friction and weight. A family of
importance will often possess quite num-
Der of these garments, which, in some
cases, are heavily em bfoidered with gold
braid. They differ in size, and the chill
dren, as they grow from girlhoOd 10
womanhood, wear first one and then an
other in regular stages of progression
Like old lace and India scaris among an
other class, these cumbrous robes are
family inheritance, passing from genera
ton to generaton-an evidence OF re-
spectability TO the possessor. The cos
tunes of the men are less picturesque
than those Of the women, but not less dis
tinctiye. A peasant would no sooner
think of wearing the costume Of another
district than a soldier would adopt a for
eign uniform.
The German fair, like our own, offers q
great opportunity to the Snowman. Jug
glers. exhibitions Of learned animals,
Dantomimes, and the ubiquitous Punch,
together with his faithful though sorely
abused Judy, are always on hand for the
entertainment of the youthful sightseers.
To the young ones, as well as TO their
elders. in German town, fair-time is the
prea. event of the year-an occasion o.
merry-making TO be anticipated through
all the dulness of ordinary working days.
-Harper's Weekly.