Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-09
THE MO..LD,s FAIR.
Unpleasant Features of the Exposition
at Now Orleaps-.'FsS and Pro
fessional ''SamplerS."
From the Ne,o York Telegram.

at New Orleans Fairs" and Pro
fessional samplers"
From tie Ne,0 York Telegram.
NEW ORLEANS, April "A national
exposition is but a State fair on a large
scale. While we see the sane things
that are frequently seen at local fairs,
bszaars and in trade centres, much is
here found that is new and wonderful,
and human nature is seen in it's every
phase; and about the worst phase of il is
the ''iakirs" and the samplers" The
"takirs" are distinctive class, who
follow in the wake of fairs ana eXpOsi-
tons. They have been at London,
Berlin. Paris, Philadelphia and now
at New Orleans. They are the profess
sional camp followers; now an Arab, jew
or Gentle, but always a "fakir." AT In-
terVals, or between fairs. they are plain
"sheep clOding' men from Baxter street,
| New York, or drummers pure and sim
pie. The value Of their wares consists in
quantness OF design aud construction.
These clever traders live and thrive upon
n class Of people who are never really
happy unless they are being swindled,
and these are the "Urinket buyers" that
are necessary to the eXistenc9Ot fairs and
eXpOsltiOnS as women are to auctions of
household goods. The trinket buyer will
say to a New York "Turk": lis this
piece of wood really from the Holy Land?'
The very question stamps the questiOner
as pliable customer, and the answer, of
course, is satisfactory: Yes, mine trent,
Pil pledge you my vord-ain't it, lsaac?"
PROFESSIONAL SAMPLERS"
Another class of persons rot essential
to tee success OF an exposition is the ''pr0-
fessi0nal samplers" who make it a regu-
lar business to visit the variOusf'spaceS"
| where free samples are given out. Tney
go not only daily, but several times day.
/ Small packages of cOcOs, chocolate, tea,
mustard, pickles, soap, starch, washing
/ comp pounds, wine. brandy and everything
that is used in the family household are
/ distributed by rival dealers, who thus
| hope to create a market for their goods.
! Tue professional ''samplers' fill their ca
| pacious pockets with these free samples.
/ for they come prepared for business, and
| then send their companions, rela-
| uves or children around to 'wOrk"
the same places. Sometimes
/ family of three or four women and
children viii travel in a crowd then
/ divide and take separate aisles so as not
! TO be so easily recognized. 1t is remark
| able what faculty they have for lOca-
/ ton. That organ seems to be abnOrmally
| developed in them. In few days they
/ will know every space in the building
! better than the exhibitors who have been
! here since the opening, and even as well
as the guides whose business it is to make
the locations a special study. The other
day a woman entered the exposition
building with rather large leather satchel
/ in her hand. She was in a hurry, and did
not play the stranger by asking IN feigned
| Ignorance. s'What is tins? DO you give
it away?' and finally taking it with
surprised thanks. But she started out in
a 6usiness-like manner and hurriedly
#sras.
where free samples were given. She
made not a siugle mistake, and what she
did not see she asked for, more as mat
ter OF right than otherwise, for she knew
she Viss NJ a free sample stand. Some
times these giVers of samples viii take
little commercial latitude and say,
''S0rry; bat we are just out" But this
woman knew better. She absolutely
begged for a small package Of chocolate
that was not worth more than two cents.
BEGGING AND STEALING.
TIE purpose of these samplers" is to
get all they can for nothing. great
! many 'make EXPENSES" For instance,
woman will take in two children, gener-
/ allv girls. because the samples are not
| generally given cut to men or boys.
/ These three will gather up enough in
/ davis circuitOus Wlndlngs to offset their
/ admission fee and street car fare. They
] are nOihl0R out LOT luhcus ltiI lut1 nave
made that in the samples of oranges. pre-
served fruit, tea crackers, cheese, pickles,
etc. And money is saved by taking small
| girls who can get in at halt-price. THERE'S
more stealing or shoplifting than is gen.
| orally imagined or is reported, and it is
almost ali done by these samplers" and
the Youngest girls at that. As in stores,
the articles selected are generally those
Of the least value, but it seems that the
natural gcquisitiyeness Of these Otherwise
respectable women and children cannot
/ be overcome whenever tempted. Expos
ure or threats fail to reform this innate
| kIeptomania. Scarcely a day passes with
out some theft, and the "kleptomaniacs"
are invariably girls or women.
WILL THE EXPOSITION BE PROLONGED!
If the exposition is reopened next sea-
son il will probably BE- only fakir's show,
for some OF the Commissioners hold that
the concern dies by limitation, and they
I have no authority TO prolong it. "Our
commissions expire on May 30" said Com
missioner Andrews, Of California, b your
correspondent, land there will be no Com
missioners unless they are reappOinted.
AS they have 70 power to pr0lOng their
/ official terms, they certainly have no au-
thority 10 grant a new lease OF life to the
! pvuosltiOn that r. rs with COngressn