The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-08-23
Aarifnltnral.



Jan. ~, by Silas Hopkins
There seems 10 be necessity for agr
cultural iairs They supply desire tina
is universal. 10 40 somewhere and sc
.somebcdy. Morslisis, philosophers an
sagcs have studied and written on th
subject Of amusemenis
Recreation. diversion, amusement, Va
cation. rest, holiday. call il villa, yol
viii. there is an acknowledged ncccssit,
for play spell for all OF us. Now who
ever writes on speaks on this subject O
recreation. assumes that the question i
settled, They 80 at once into the inquir,
Of what kind Of diversion is proper. No
whether any is necessary.
The men are uncommonly scarce whC
don't now and then get on some beitcl
clothes and have little recreation. Even
among the religions people the hypochon'
driac who never relishes wit, never laughs
heartily. is not reckoned the most useful
man in the church. Once ina while We
must go visiting. go hunting, 60 fishing,
20 somewhere or do something besides
this everyday business. Boys must vary
their everyday play--which is their bust
ness. They must 80 in swimming, climb
the cherry tree and come down head first,
or take hold OF the steers tail and take a
few turns around the barnyard at a 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 go to the circus-to please the
children. City people come to the country
to get as far as possible from any reminder
OF business. Country cousins" go to the
city. Western people come east to enjoy
themselves say they would not live
on the old homestead il 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 home? He
goes away out Of sight and hearing of the
restraining influences of his deacons and
the sewing circle. We all go to the coun.
ty fair.
l shall not be accused of originality or
extravaganza when ! say that ninety-nine
one hundredths Of us go for the fun OF 1t.
We don't go for pleasure or profit. Our
purpose cannot honestly be called recrea-
tion. We go for the same reason that the
boy and the steer try their speed round
the barnyard for the fun of it. There are
q 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, superintendent and committees,
the man who makes the address, and the
brass band are to the crowd as one OF the
hundred.
Therefore, If the managers Of the county
fair have an eye to business, if they are
going to please their customers, il they
are going to keep that kind of goods that
sell, they will CT course look upon any
for change or the introduce
lion OF any new feature from this stand
point, "people go to the fair tor the fun OF
IT," They will be likely to retain the
horse trot, the brass band and the bedqullt
with 10000 peices in it, These things
have fun in them. They draw. Some
simple, kind hearted men may object to
The horse race because the horses are
Urged by the whip and shout beyond their
natural easy gait, And the philanthropist
may suggest that men are making too
great sacrifice for our fun, when they
shave their heads, wear distressing uni
orms and blow themselves purple in the
aces. But the band men appear to like
I, and as for the horses--well they have a
lard lot any way, all of them. The horse
IN the trotting course does not have
larder time than the one that draws the
narrow all day over the yielding soil and
hen goes to the post office two miles
way in the evening for the mail. The
lorses have just about as easy time as
he other animals on exhibition. | am
ware that comparing one wrong thing
With another does not prove that either is
light; but a man has sometimes looked
or mote in his brothers eye not seeming
o know that there was beam in his
wn. II is said that horse does not
naturally go at 2 30 gait. 1t might
lso be said that cattle do not get on to
lie cars and go to the fair because they
ike it. The cattle in stalls, sheep and
wine in pens, fowls in coops are targets
or cane. umbrella and parasol thrusts all
he long days OF the fair. II there is an
.nimal shown at the fair that enjoys it, it
the horse. "The Ok knoweth his owner
nd the ass his masters crib" Cattle
nd sheep in their own pastures, under
heir own shade trees, enjoy themselves.
hey feel at home. They have no pride
r ambition to show their good points.
But the horse is proud. He likes to show
Il. He is accustomed to being away
rom home. He is familiar with long
istances Besides man, the horse and
og are the only animals that like to go to
he far
1t is beliyed that the horse trot does not
improve the morals OF men. But IT is well
nown that some good men are found lin
erng about the race course at the county 1
lir. / once saw three deacons make a 3
ash for an elevation that commanded
lew OF the whole course, that each might /,