St. Landry democrat., 1880-05-15
The Fun Of an English Horse Race.

But you should see the sports, the
shows, the games and catch-pennies at
tendant on an English horse race. The
yearly county races at Yarmouth ensueC
while was there. No course entirely
rallied in. Most of it was open on the
"denes,' few hundred feet from the
tumbling surf of the German Ocean.
There was grand stand, accessible fol-
a few, but most of us stood on either side
of the long elliptical track, whose only
barrier, while the horses were running,
was temporarily stretched rope There
were miles of booths adj Joining, and near
them all the halt lame and blind of the
county; all the shriveled limbs or people
with no limbs at all, begging Or trying
to sell few matches, apples or tooth
picks, which one would naturally desire
to be excused from using after coming
from those hands. | don't place these
poor creatures in the category of sports:
but they were objects of interest and a
serious living chapter of the awful in hui
man affairs. Then came the merry go
rounds by the dozens, turned by steam
to steam music on the hand organ; then
the portable rifle galleries, where YOU
aim at a ull's-eye through long iron
tube with metallic back. If YOU hit
the sides, no matter, the ball will carrom
somewhere near the mark A girl is in
attendance, who loads your rifle dexter
ously. She slips in the charge of pow
der, puts the ball on top, sends it home
with thrust Or two of the heavy iron
ramrod, puts on the cap and hands you
the gun in ten seconds, all the while her
eyes rowing about and her attention more
than half bestowed on the people who
have come for miles around, on horse
and on foot, in their best bibs and tuck
ers, in dog-cart, gig, chaise and ba-
rouche, and now by the thousands, talk
ing, laughing, eating, flirting, treating,
walking, or going in or out of all sorts
of side shows. Here is pugilistic
booth. Outside are hung glarng,
life-size pictures of the low-browed,
broad-chested and cropped-headed P. r.
champions striking out at each other
straight from the shoulder. These are
the g Norwich Champion and :. Flint
Fist Bill" The Norwich Champion and
Flint-Fist Bill are now paraded before
the public on an outside gallery. The
pugilistic Snowman sounds an enormous
rattle and attracts the crowds attention.
Flint-Fist Bill, the Champion and two
other nameless heroes, stripped to the
buff, also sound their rattles. The clat-
ter ceases. The pugilistic Snowman ad-
dresses the public. His remarks refer to
the coming mill with gloves inside the
tent. He finishes. The four pugilists
and their exhibitor swing their rattles,
make fearful noise and disappear The
tent is quickly filled. Abundance six
pence. The mill begins. There is al
ways room for a few more, and the show
man holds the tent-hap aggravatingly
open SO that we can catch glimpses of
boxing glove and brawny arms gyrating
above the crowd of heads. This will last
fifteen minutes, and then come the out
side demonstration, rattle and speech
over again. There is continual bang
ing of breech-loading double-barreled
shotguns at the glass balls sprung into
the air. Next, the game of Aunt
Sally A penny for three SHES with a
club at a cocoanut perched on stick
Hit the nut and it is yours. Or you may
attempt the casting of sundry wooden
balls into the opened mouth of a wooden
clown; or strike at a buffer whose in
dex hand shows your fighting power in
pounds; or sling sledge at similar ap-
paratus, and, if possessed of sufficient
the index is shot up to the top of
D tall dial, from whose top, through
little door, flies a small edition of Mr..
Punch to announce your success. There
are half a dozen Punch, Judy and dog
Toby shows, all patronized, says the |
placard, by " the Queen and royal
family" Next to Punch comes the
performing mice and poor frowzy
,anaries dressed up as Mrs Caudles,
md dragged about in little charriots by
other canaries equally woe-begone and
:rowzy. Then the Happy Families
hose sickly-looking jumbles of dogs,
;ats, rats, birds and monkeys, condemned
or mans pleasure to pass their lives in
. Gagged purgatory, while he looks on
ike an idiot and calls them "happy"
Here on the beach sands is a wandering
dramatic company. The stage is like a
zig barrel lying on the ground, around
which is seated the audience. The prop
,rties, helmets, swords, spears and
hields are lying about in the sand. No
lressing-rooms, no curtain, no footlights,
lot even doorkeeper, since there IS no
loor to keep. The audience come and
70 at will. The expenses are betrayed
when the star passes round the hat