San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-11-08
The Dallas Fair.
DALLAS, Tex, Oct. 81, 'SS.

| DALLAS, LEN, OCt. ~, 90.
Special Correspondence of the FREE Press
We nro just returned from the
fair. While out, took down few
notes for the paper we have become
SO attached to. We are partial to the
FREE Press. Partial to it on account
of the outspoken, Independent, be
sure you are right, then go ahead
kind of spirit it always pursues, leav
ing pecuniary considerations out OF
mind entirely.
1t is only our second trip. We got
up early, to get there in time. Our
mind had been made up, ever since il
was announced that he was to come
that we should hear the wonderful
southern orator, Grady, if, like Anna
Dickinson, who, on account of not
having money to buy ticket shovel
ed snow to hear some celebrated
woman speak n public on the stage,
if We had to shovel coal.
We got to the grounds at last. 1
was forcibly reminded, while trying
to board street cars, of the young
lady from some rural district in Tex
as who went with her mother to see
the sights IN Chicago. The crowd
was so great that coming to hall
way, she said: "Ma, let us stand here
till the crowd passes" The good
sister said to us: "Let us wait and get
the next car" We did wait till four
passed. the fifth was stopped and u
couple of gen tlemen sta nding on the
platform steps got off till we could
plant ourselves when they swung on
some way.
Th crowd was greater than it had
been on any previous day. The Hon.
gentleman spoke from platform that
was erected for tho occasion just in
front Of tho "grand stand. THE grand
stand is the Amphi theatre, overlook
ing the race track and will seat
10000. $50 I am told) They
were packed on this stand till grave
fears were felt as to it's safety, and
extra props were put under it. We
were SO uncomfortably situated, stand
ing on an incline of 45 or 60 degrees,
till some kind gentleman locked our
arm in his and promised that we
should not be pushed overheard.
Instead of IL O'clock the speaking
did not begin till II. The introduc-
tory remarks were long. Grady"
was who the audience called for, and
who they demanded, but tho gentle
man had to have his ''say," even if he
could not be heard, for tho cry was
"enough! enough! let us have Grady,
shut up, etc. Finally Grady was intro
duced-and cheered and cheered, till
I thought the stand would give way.
He is clean shaved, pleasant faced,
boyish looking man. TO look at him
one would never suppose him to be
the man to hold an audience spell
bound. His speech was entirely de-
void of that superfuous rhetorical
oratory, which, after you sift it thro'
has nothing in it but fowery rhetor-
ic. His talk was plain matter-of-fact.
What he said could be appreciated by
the greatest scholar and at the samo
time comprohended by those of les
ser talent and 'learning," therefore
Mr. Grady will take. On the whole,
while Mr.. Grady did not come up to
our expectations, for our hopes were
builded too high, and we expected to
hear flights of eloquence, equalling,
if not excelling bis great speech,
''The New Sout!," which brought
him into notorietY. We we're pleased
and in the p. m. when he gave US his
autograph, we felt that his smile had
more than compensated ns for our
trip. When he gave us bis autograph
he was busy correcting and changing
bis remarks, rs they wero being
transcribed.
We expected to tell something Of
the fair besides OF Mr.. G.
The county exhibits are all credit
able. Parker got sweep stake premi-
ums. The ball set aside for the
county exhibits is decidedly tho most
interesting place On the grounds.
Tom Green county came FIRST to
view as We entered. Sic seemed most
prolific in Wild animals. and to Judge
/ by the work there are taXerdermis.s
Of considerable merit. There were
I ferocious looking liie-iike Wild var
mints. that We knew not Of stand
ing ready 10 pounoe down uDon you.
She had a good display Of cereals.
vegetable. fruit, ctr, those perhaps
not 70 COOL as some 0tbcrs-Taylor