Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-08-26
The Fair-First Day.

The Fair-First Day.
The Lafayette county fair opened Tuesday
morning, Ut Higginsville, with warm wealth
err, and q great deal OF. dust. There was on
the ground u rather slim attendance, char
scteristic Of first days, but In the afternoon
1t increased TO a respectable numher. Ihere
was the finest lot of stock on the ground
that was ever seen In Lafayette county.
There are over 100 stalls for horses and cat
tie, every one OF which is occupied, and q
force OF carpenters were engaged al night
Mondsy In putting up others. Nearly all
classes OF horses were represented BY some
choice specimens. There was also . tine lot
Of cattle present. Mr. L.. Palmer, OF Stnr-
geon, NO., alone having twenty head OF
shorlhorns, headed by the 9th Duke OF
Ackien. u magnificent animal, weighing
2 800 pound, and having u pedigree rs long
AS the moral law. lie also has snoiher fine
bull, weighing 1000 pounds. which was not
brought out the first day. The Leonard
brothers also have u lot OF A No. l csttle
AMI sume of the finest jacks In the state. BY
i the way, MIR. A. Leonard has just returned
from Spain, where he purch ased nineteen OF
the finest lacks he could tind In that jack
country. They have mol arrived yet. Mr..
H.. e. Sydnor and Mr. tWm. II. Bruins are
here with seine very tine specimens OF Po-
land China hogs, and Col. Ch,les exhibits q
lot Of extra sheep. There Is no doubt but
thst there are more fine horses and cattle on
the grounds than were ever seen ut one time
IN this county.
Floral uall has received the undivided at
tention OfSCspt. Conner aud his able assls-
tants. Tuesday morning IL looked as though
this department was TO- he u failure. but by
night there had been hundi eds OF articles re-
csived Tor exhibition, and the hall Is q
place Of great Interest now. There are
things there that no man can ~name-.hings
rem. There are wagons and preserves, cul-
~tlvsiors and fancy nesdlework. plows and
hair work, apples and organs, potatoes and
pickles. bsd-prssds, chafpets, bed room sets.
paintings. &c., &c. .
Among the afnusements are Two "Flying
Horses" ~oneshootlng gallery. one throwing
gallery. one 'pound'ng'' gallery. some ten
lemonade stands, thrse beer stands and
several such places. but the funniest place is
the dinner stand. Let 100 hungry people sit
down. with . lew simple walters to attend
Ethsm. apoor.d,nner aud q high price in re-
serve, and the funny remarks one hears will
beat u circus.
SECOND DAY
Wednesday was warner md duslier than
Tuesday has been. The attendance increased
largely. and ever one seemed determined to have
. pleasant time. I Entr,esi in every department
were being made. and there was now no longer
any doubt OF the success Of the enterprise.
About halt past four O'Clock in the afternoon q
heavy cloud in tine southwest brought terror
into the hearts OF the ladies, and for = few min
utes there was considerable excitement, for fear
a cyclone was coming. At five O'Clock a heavy
ram commenced falling. just as a trotting race
was beinI called. OF course the races had to
he postponed. as the track was u sheet of water
in less than ten minutes. The crowd enjoyed
the pleasant change from heat and dust. and all
thought it would help the fair and make ''big
Thursday" Il pleasant day. and profitable to the
association. There Was sufficient shelter Tor all
and between showers the crowd managed to get
back TO town. some a little wet. bat nearly all IN
u good humor.
big Thursday opened bright and pleasant.
aud by ten O'Clock The amphilheater was COM
fortably hled. the promenlade vas slmostimpas-
saGle. and she line OF hacks froi1town continued
y bring oaf the people. At noon Tie crowd was
variously estimated at from 3. 500 to 5 600. The
display of stock was excellent. the awards very
satisfactory and every one was happy. The
races excited universal enthusiasm. the track
being in splendid fix, and there being no dust.
The record Of all the races will be found among
the awards of premiums. The most an using
thing on Thursday was the mule race, u mile
dash. Ii st money $40. I'd S.. Sd So. There
were three entries, but only.twO to start. The
mules werr not named; one was Il large sOrrel,
and the other u medium sized dark animal.
They got oil the first time, and ran about 200
yards in very good style, when both took the
sulks, and wanted to go back TO their stables.
After much whipping they started again. and
l:,ped and trotted TO the quarter pole, then took
u walk Tor u hundred yards, the sorrel mule
rubbing all the way against the outside rail. On
the turn they We're whipped into a gallon, and
q gust OF wind blew the hat OF the rider of the
sorrel. A halt was made till somebody picked
up the hat, the other rider considerably
waiting for him. and then both animals passed
under the half mile wire like a couple of scared
W "heu thCy u hthE e 8LdUleS luty
again stopped. and the whip and spur WERE
freely USED to coax them past the entrance gate
A slow trOt. a walk aud gallop were all indul.
ged in before they again reached the home
stretch. As they. made the home turn they mel
3 strong windSand heavy rain, which made
them try To turn their heads the other way. Al
last they took Il start for the stables. and passed
under the wire in a brisk gsllop, amid the boots
q I'd jeers of n thousaGI voices.
The rain on Thursdsy Wasnot as welcome al
that of Wednesday,. 1t was accompanied by
strong southwest wind, which drove it cleal
across the promenade antl more than half way
across the seats. The ladies We're huddled into
the front seats, and the gentlemen stood behint
them. the broad backs OF the men being a tolera.
bly, good projection. vi course many handsom,
I dresses were more or less injured. and whit,
skirts and stockings werei freely exhibited
shaving signs OF distress. At least one.thirt
OF the ladies and 'two-thirds of the gentlemen
present We're more or less drenchcd. and many
gentlemen were thoroughly soaked.
We regret not being able to give the awards i,
Floral Hall. The ribbons were tied Thursday
but the committee adjourned without making
report to Capt Conner, and it WAS an impossi
bility to get u list OF the awards until they Ina,
been properly placed on the books OF the superin
tendent. Our list OF awards In the amphitheat,
reaches up to Thursday night; we being com
PEELED TO go to rresssbefore We could get In
list for Friday. Altogether the fair has been
great success, anu next year there will be man,