The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-15
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

"hp nave atltu pleu tue management
Of any like unwieldy enterprise can
form an idea of the perplexity and
worriment arising from it. There are
thousand annoyanees' continually COM
ing up, which no amount OF sagacity
could have foreseen or prevented.
Everybody whose only business consists
10 looking on and criticislng feels per-
fectly able to manage the whole busi-
ness in whole, in part, or in detail.
Then, too, every ybody has hobby, and
delights in riding it.
1t would be vastly amusing, We're il
not 50 suggestive of woman's impecuni-
osity, as well as her Unborn acquisitige-
ness, TO note the many little expedients
the sex resort 10 in order TO obtain
premium Of few dollars. Many OF the
articles they enter for competition are
wholly useless, and certainly possess not
the slightest claim to being beautiful.
One little rocking chair, that We have
noticed every year for long time in a
conspicuous position, has become so old
and worn that the bits of silk that form
its upholstered covering cannot last
many decades longer. The number Of
dollars that chair has brought at differ
ent fairs in premiums would form an
interesting example for the new light
ming compu;ator. Some Of the quaint
devices of women suggest a struggling
genius for invention that makes US
fairly tremble with'eager desire TO strike
the shackles from their hampered lives
and permit them to indulge their won
derful gifts in Edisonian enterprises,
where money could aid their efforts in q
practical direction.
One Of the greatest curiosities OF the
fair was a pair Of landscape pictures,
made Of the hair from the heads OF the
Oregon pioneers. Judged merely as pic
lures, these landscapes were nothing re-
maTkable; but the material OF which
they were made will startle any be-
holder into an exclamation Of surprise
and wonder Houses, windows, trees,
rocks, mountains, flowers, rivers, boats
and boatmen are all made Of human
hair, in every hue and shade, iugenu-
ously interviewer according TO its color.
The author of this unique specimen Of
handiwork is Mrs. Ross, of Monmouth,
who designs it for the State House when
another landscape is completed.
Our hobby is land we've said before
that everybody has a hobby to offer
premiums to women's handiwork lit
tie more on par with those offered for
horse-racing. Let these extra pre-
miums be for babies, butter, starch,
soap, candles cookery, ETC., etc, not
emitting any one of the thousand femi-
ninities already named, unless it be the
ever obtruding and always ugly patch
work quilt. Any fool eau make a quilt;
and, after we had made a couple Of
dozen over twenty years ago, we quit
the business with a conviction that no.
body but a fool would spend so much
time in cutting bits Of dry goods into
yet smaller bits and sewing them to-
EEAANA ahAAAf ll1A AbA AAAC same OF AlAk-
ing believe that they were busy at prac-
tical work. \ dozen such quilts a. we
saw at the fair would be needed TO keep
one comfortable through an Oregon
Summer night, aud any one Of the
dozen would require two months labor
to complete it.
Though the officers OF the fair made
no provision for premiums for human
stock, DR.. Pfunder of this city and DIR.
WeatherfOrd of Salem, assisted by E. o.
Norton of the VIdette, got up a side
show and offered premiums for the
preltiest girl aud boy babies, the choice
falling upon two very pretty and prom
ising ones that carried of the blue rib
bon amid the general rejoicing OF friends
and relatives. If the Society will offer
a handsome premium next year for the
largest fsmily Of healthy and bright and
pretty children, accompanied by the
fresh, healthy and happy mother, we'll
give more TO see that show than any
other, aud 50 would any intelligent
lover Of humanity. Thoroughbred hu-
manity must be the next consideration
Of agriculturists.
One very grievous detriment TO the
fair-how grieyOus nobody yet can tell
was the illegal and yet constant exhibit
ton Of monstrosities. One Of these was
a woman without feet and legs, who sat
upon rocking chair and propelled her
self by trestles worked by hand power.
She was accompanied by a villainous
accordion and two women, each armed
with like ebomination, with which
they attracted large crowds about the
monstrosity. aud told pitiful tales, in
broken French and jargon English, Of
their "sister'sn misTortUnes. One Of
these beggars ratified a cup under the
face and eyes OF the undersigned, and
asked aims as follows:
"Will ye, madame, be 20 good as to
give Que leetle zum for ze zupport of me
ulster, who IL ze cripple from ze typhoid
fevare ?"
Before I'd make such an exhibition
as that Of my sisters misfortunes, if she
were my sister, rd open a wash-house
by the side OF Chinaman," We were
foolhardy enough to reply.
"An' you're a China lover, that ye
are-Jad loOck to ye Niver bit would
demane meself by wor-r-kin' alongside
o. a Chinaman, at all, at all But, If
yez wants to put yerself on livel with
the dirthy haythen, there's no law in