The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-09-26

tanned much to admire, including both the
useful and ornamental. The enumeration
OF articles worthy of mention was prevented
by rain. Our special reporter was hung
up " to keep dry in the bridge on the way
to the fair, which was completely demoral
lied after the first day The rains de-
scended, and, as the historian Bancroft ex-
pressed it, I" Heaven sent down on the as
sembed thrOng the nastiest shower Of the
season." A wet, bedraggled, disconsolate
crowd, all down at the heels, had its fun
spoiled and those who did not find perches
in floral hall were literally washed off from
the grounds A mitigating feature of the
business was the fact that the management
cleared itself financially.
THE WRESTLING AND THE TEMPEST
Thursday, the last day of the fair, opened
inauspiciously. Dame Nature seemed to re-
sentit that an exhibition ostensibly gOttenup
to display the products of her bounty, should
be partially given over to catch-as-catch-
can" the Virginia reel paralyzng tine
coon" and "bucking the tiger" In the morn
ing she lrOwned; later on she wept in her
modification, and as afternoon came on she
fairly bawled out her resentment, drench-
igg the track and putting an end TO all the
sports OF the day. No attempt to trot was
made in the forenoon, owing to the condi-
ton of the track. The band played at in
tervals, and the rest Of the time the various
hawkers and gamesters on the grounds had
llIl swing. IL was announced lDdI lllt
wrestling would commence at one o'clock
in the afternoon. Before that hour the
grand stand was packed: the Judges and
bands stands were filed, and large crowds
pressed the ropes that were strung across
the course to secure ample space for the
wrestlers George w. Flagg was intro
duced as referee. Though Mr.. Flagg is
champion of Vermont at collar and elbow,
he did not feel competent to wrestle with
the barbarian name of the celestial athlete
and presented him to the audience as the
champion Japanese wrestler from China.
At Mr. Dufur's suggestion he made the cor
rection that -- was a gentleman from
Japan and after further presenting the
Marlboro champion the fun began The
| first bout was catCh-as- catCh-can. As the
two faced each other Dufur was number
of inches the taller The Jap was short,
| thick set apparently very muscular, and,
! if the term can be applied to a man with so
much OChre in his complexion, was in the
! pink of conditions The contest lasted for
! some time with varying advantage, and
! Judging from the interiections of approval
or disappointment that came from the
crowd with the changing fortune of the con-
| testants, was watched with great deal of
| interest. The fall was finally given to the
! jap Rain began to fall before the COM
mencement of the second bout, and possibly
may have shortened it. At any rate the
gentleman from Massachusetts seemed
more at home at collar and elbow, and in
! snort metre uOwneu the celestial IN the
most approved fashion. The heavy storm
that followed drove the spectators to cover,
and closed the days programme. Many
took refuge in floral hall, and whiled away
an hour in the attempt to avoid the streams
of water that came in under the stills and
flooded the floor. The clerk of the Associa-
ton announced then, that the trotting
would take place on the afternoon of
the following day, Friday, and also
that Messrs. Flagg and Dufur would
wrestle The rainy weather made that i'm
possible, so the fair was practically closed
at the afternoon session on Friday. With
plenty of sunshine the show would have
been the most successful ever given on the
grounds. The entries in all departments
were superior in quality as well as quantity,
and this years fair, if not a success, GER
tainly establishes the fact that tirst-cass
fairs can be held here when the elements
are more favorable.
THE PREMIUM LIST.
We should have been glad to crafty our
local readers by publishing the premium
list With the exception of the list for
floral hall, the copy came to hand at an
hour so late as to render it utterly imposs-
BILE to print it, Secretaries of fairs should
understand that time is required to handle
these reports; that they can not be used
when they are delayed almost to the hour
of publication and our columns are filled
with other matter.