Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-05-18
STORMY.
an Oh LaIy's first Visit to Fair.
\ PLEASURE TRIP WHICH PROVED
RATHER EXPENSIVE.

a LfslNt 4 " I1sot -
RATHER EXPENSIVE.
Yes, if you want me to tell you
about it, l can. You see, for all I'm
an oldlsh woman. near seventy-nine,
I've never been to fair afore For
when Hiram, my husband. was livin'
he never approved of such things.
and since I've been l;vin' round with
children they wanted to go, mostly.
and SO L stayed at home to SEQ to
things. But this year Tom. my son.
says. says he:
Mother. you're getting along in
years, and you've never been to a
fair. I'm going with both horses and
the big wagon. and you can go just as
well As not. Will you?"
Well, l wavered awhile, but finally
concluded to go, just to please Tom,
you know. We was calculating on
getting right early start, and so had
most of the things ready over night.
Cynthy, Toms wife, had a shoe-box
most full of cheese and bread. On
the top she put six rolls of her very
Dest butter; it was splendid. with Il
sheaf of wheat stamped on the top.
and her monogram cut on the side
Cynthy is master smart housekeeper,
and always gets premiums for what
ever she carries. She was very care
full to get that butter in Il good place
ON the top, where she was sure it
would go safe.
We was already to start at half
past six in the morning. Tom put
the shoe-box in the back of the wagon
for little Tommie to sit on, then some
chairs for the older children. Cynthy
and l. and last of all he put in a good
sized nail keg filled with turnips and
potatoes, and seated himself on the
top. l told him L thought he had
better have some other kind of a seat,
but he said twas Just as good as he
wanted, and there wasn't room for
anything else.
Iou see we started so early we
didn't think about how hot it was
going to be. and never carried a sign
of an umbriller or parasol, or any
thing to keep off the sun. and long
fore We got there it was biazln' down
hot enough to blister Toms oldest
girl. Maria tidgeted round and put
her handkerchief over her face (she's
brown as a'Malay, but she's always
in a pickle for fear she'll tan) and
said She wished for har part, she'd
either brought an umbriller or stayed
at home.
l said I wished for my part she
had. 1 wasn't feeling over-comfort-
able myself. One of my shoes pinched,
and the sweat was streaming down
my face; beside. 1 didn't have over
confidence in the horses, and Tom
keep sawyin' round on the nail-kes,
whenever we went over a stone l
haint been used to ridin' much lately,
and 1 don't think it was any more
than natural that I should feel little
fear
Tom said might just as well keep
my feet in the wagon, and l don't
know but had, for I noticed since
1 came home that Id glound a hole
i'll the side of my shoe where 1 hit
against the wheel. We all chirked
up considerable when We got in sight
of the ground, and after we got inside
Maria looked round for Tommie, and
if you'll believe it the little rascal had
taken the cover off the box and laid
his fat little body down comfortably
on the napkins and towels Cynthy
had wrapped so carefully around the
butter. 1t was so warm it was all
melted. Such a looking boy was
never seen. We scraped him off and
wiped him off, and at last Maria put
her duster-rape around him, for he
didn't look tit to be seen.
Cyn;hy was awful cut up about it,
and don't wonder, with Mrs Perry
Mason carryin' in her poor. pale,
lardy stuff, and hintin' round that
some folks didn't dare bring butter.
1 had a real good time in the build
ing, looking at the vegetables. fruit,
rag carpets. bed d-quilts. and such, but
when Maria came and asked me to
come out and see the race, 1 couldn't
help thinking for the life of me of all
the stories l ever heard about the
spirits of departed friends lowering
around us, and how Hiram didn't
approve of fairs; but then, thinks 1,
he never used to go when he he was
alive. so 'taint no ways likely he'll
take it up now; SO I elbowed along
with Maria, till she said we was in a
very good place.
1 think it was. for everybody seemed
to want it, and kept pitching and
pushing and jamminS our bonnets
with their parasols, till 1 was nigh
d ST. acted, but I made up my mind
to stand my ground. and I did; but
L didn't see a thing of the horses,
only saw the excitement and lost my
sp ectacles.
Twas getting rather late when
Tom went for the team, and he said
we should have to be pretty spry
about getting home if we got there
before dark. He came back pretty
soon after he went away. looking
sort of mad round the eyes, and said