Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-07-25
County Fairs.

lhehu AT llle 1Nrmers meeting neld DN the Board O
HoPKINsl
There seems to be n necessity for agri
cultural fairs. They supply desire that
is universal, to go somewhere and see
somebody. Moralists, philosophers and
sages have studied and written on the
question of amusements.
| Recreation, diversion, amusement, va
cation, rest, holiday,-call it what You
will; there is an acknowledged necessity
for play spell for all of us. Now who.
ever writes or speaks on this subject OF
recreation, assumes that the question is
settled. They 90 at once into the inquiry
of what kind of diversion is proper. MOI
whether any is necessary.
| The men are uncommonly scarce who
don't now and then get on some better
| clothes end have little recreation. Even
among the religious people the hypochon-
driac who never relishes wit, never laughs
heartily, Is not reckoned the most useful
man in the church. Once in n while we
must 60 visiting, go hunting, go fishing,
60 somewhere or do something besides
this everyday business. Boys must vary
their everyday play-which is their busi-
ness. They must 60 in swimming, climb
or take hold of the steers tail and take a
few turns around the harnyard at two.
forty pace. Little girls can't always be
proper. They must at least romp and
scream. Besides being good for their
lungs and limbs. they get recreation in
this way. A young lady away from home
to improve her education and manners,
once wrote to her mother that she had got
sick of being proper. She said she wanted
to come home and roll down hill. Sober
citizens 60 TO the circus-lo please the
children. City people come to the country
to get as far as possible from any reminder
of business. Country cousins" 90 to the
city. Western people come east to enjoy
themselves and say they would not Hve
on the old homestead if you would give
them all. Vermont ministers have vaca-
tions,-a very tame proper word, you
notice, but did you ever know minister
to spend his vacation about homep He
goes away out of sight and hearing OF the
restraining influences OF his deacons and
the sewing circle. We at 90 to the county
fair.
| shall not be accused of originality or
extravaganza when say that ninety, nine
one hundredths of US 90 for the fun of it
We don't 60 for pleasure or profit. Our
purpose cannot honestly bo called recrea
ton. We 60 for the same reason that the
boy and the steer try their speed round
the barnyard for the fun of it, There are
few honorable exceptions to this rule,
about one in hundred. The members OF
the board of agriculture, the president
and secretary of the dairymen's associa
ton, the reporters, the breeders of thor.
oughbred stock, the catch penny show
men, chance game men, president, secre-
taries superintendents and committees,
the man who makes the address, and the
brass band, are to the crowd AS one TO a
hundred.
Therefore, if the managers OF the county
fair have an eye to business, if they are
going to please their customers, if they
are going to keep the kind of goods that
sell, they will Of course look upon any
proposition for change or the introduce
ton of any new feature from this stand
point, "Peope 90 to the fair for the fun of
it," They will be likely to retain the horse
trot, the brass band and the bedquilt with
ten thousand pieces in it. These things
have fun in them. They draU Some
simple, kind hearted men may object 10
the horse race because the horses are
urged by whip and shout beyond their
natural easy gait. And the phil 4nthropist
may suggest that men are making too
great sacrifice for our fun, when they
shave their heads, wear distressing
uniforms and blow themselves purple in
the faces. But the band men appear to
like it, and as for the horses-well they
have hard lot any way, all of them.
The horse on the trotting course does not
have harder time of it than the one that
draws harrow all day over the yielding
soil and then goes to the post office two
miles away in the evening after the mail.
The horses have about as easy time as
the other animals on exhibition. | am
aware that comparing one wrong thing
with another does not prove that either is
right; but as man has sometimes looked
for mote in his brothers eye not seeming
TO know that there was a beam in his
own. 1t is said that a horse does not
naturally 60 at a 2 80 gait. 1t might
also be said that cattle do not get on to the
cars and go to the fair because they like
it. The cattle in stalls, sheep and swine
in pens, fowls in coops are targets for
cane, umbrella and parasol thrusts all the
long days of the fair. If there is an
animal shown at the fair that enjoys it is
the horse. "1he OK knoweth his owner
and the ass his masters crib" Cattle
and sheep in their own pastures, under
their own shade trees, enjoy themselves.
They feel at home. They have no pride
or ambition to show their good points.
But the horse is proud. tie likes to show
off. He is accustomed to being away
from home. He is familiar with long
distances, Besides man, the horse and
dog are the only animals that like to 60 to
the fair.
1t is believed that the horse trot does not
improve the morals of men. But it is we'll
known that some good men are found lin
gering about the race course at the country
fair. | once saw three deacons make a rush
for an elevation that commanded view
of the whole course, that each might
watch the speed of the horse he hoped to
see win. And at the same time minister
came up with his carriage and ladies and
said as he lifted up his hand with pleased
surprise. Why. we find good folks every
aDhGTc.
There is no feature of the fair so popu.
lar as the horse race, it is not so useful
perhaps, but it is in harmony with the
common notion of what a fair is for.
The address at the fair is all out of place.
To be sure now and then sober citizen,
when hard pushed for an apology for going
to the fair, will mention the address as the
chief incentive. But if you watch him you
may find him after ten minutes attention
to the speaker making off towards the pens
and stalls. He is afraid of the crowd, it is
a good time to go and see the cattle.
People 90 to the fair to see the crowd, the
horses and cattle, to hear the band, and
shake hands with their acquaintances and
friends. Very little they care for the lee
ture. 1t is always good, excellent speak.
ers and popular men are secured. 1t
would be very pleasant and profitable to
listen to them in hall or church. But in
the open air, amid the noise and excite
ment of the crowd, it is asking too much
of speaker to give us his best wisdom,
and if we expect the crowd to listen we
shall be disappointed.
There is one accompaniment of the fair
which does not receive much attention
from the managers. | mean the horse
exchange in the road alongside the fair