The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-07-18
A GERMAN MARkET.FAIR.
The Ancient Teutonic Custom as III sim
Ffonrishes at Hanover


owner because of the unintentional
D.hnt none the less wet stream Of water
sssricn inv utnbrella-tip pElsAped down
mon her cakes or candy. The stalls
and booths for the display of the wares
We're to be found in various parts of
the town. according to the nature of
the sales; thus live stock was to be had
in one section, books III another. tsno-
tions'' in the third, aud so on. To-day
| spent my time in the old portion of
the city. and here the center of hustle
ard interest was the ancient Market
church. From the square upon which
this church stands the lines of booths
stretched up the streets, radiating right
and left from the Market square.
These booths We're hastily rugged
affairs, built Of boards. with their tops
covered with canvas against the rain,
80 that they looked like a row of In
dian wigwanls. Every conceivable ar
tiele. and some inconeeiyable, were to
be purchased along these rows, behind
which stood men and women crying
up their wares or doling out small por-
lions TO the peasant buyer.
Before o'clock of this rainy after
noon the oil lamps were lighted and
fared picturesquely in the wind.
Through the middle of the streets
surged the crowd of buyers. many of
them country folk, who had come in
solely for the fair. They clattered over
the cobble-stones in their sabots and
beat down prices with high heart and
volubility. Above rose the gray old
houses and high over all the venerable
and massive church, under whose
walls for five centuries humanity was
bought and sold, lived and died. 1t
was scene for Dickens and l sighed
for his insight and his graphic power
of description.
At some of the booths a foreigner
was especially tempted to rid himself
of a few pennies or marks. For exam
pie. here hung by the score those long.
porcelain -bowled pipes which are so
typical of this country. and hard by
We're all manner of blue earthenware
drinking jugs. mugs. and tankards,
with bibuious notices in German script
and metal covers that were a Joy to
see. In some cases some magic sign
like Aus Itaiien" was hung in front
of the booth. and there You are sure TO
find cheap jeweiry. tawdry paintings.
or bizarre house ornaments, those be-
hind the improyised counter being
dark, saliow. and melancholy eyed.
aud wearing large rings in their ears
after the manner of their race.
There seemed to be no congruity
here in the arrangement of the sue
eessive stands; beside one e exclusively
devoted to worsteds would be another
where the suceuient sausage and the
malodorous but beloved limburger
reIgned supreme. and a little farther
on the toys of childhood hobho5bed
with a murderous array of knives. big
4.fa1 AItttas 4 IA
trimmer TO the long, keen blade OF the
hog killer. The motley sales and sights
ouit made the scene richer aud char-
acteristic picture of foreign street life
am told that the articles to be bonght
al these fairs. though cheap. are shoddy
aud unreliable. and are avoided by the
willy citizens the chief profit aeeruing
from the open-mouthed country bump
kins who judge by outside show and the
oily assurances OF the proprietors.
SUBSTANTIAL HANDsHAkINcS.
a Preachers ParishioperS Play an Enjoy.
able Little Joke on Him.
Tt was wears since. in the Ozark
region. where | was riding a circuit.
that ! saw minister enjoy a most
substantial handshaking, says writer
in the GIobe-D Democrat. Shaking hands
was his DecuIiarity. He believed in the
potency of cordial grasp 10 win men
to the church, aud though successful in
winning souls he was very unfortunate
in the matter of getting dollars. In
fact poverty continually stared him in
the face. He owned a little farm and
mortGaged it as long.as it would yield
a dollar. The mortgages We're falling
due but there was no prospect of pay
~ L.
bit. He shook hands more heartily
than ever.
Il have unbounded faith in hand
shaking to bring everything out right.
he often said, until his penchant came
to be the talk of the town. At las
came the day when the mortgages mus
be forecIosed that would deprive hin
OF the little home that sheltered hi.
family.
On the eve of that day knock at tn,
door of his house, which was littl'
way from town, called him. When HI
opened the door whole crowd rushed
in. and. without saying word, com
menced shaking hands. He felt some
thing cold in the palm of the first man
and when the hand was withdrawn
stuck TO his own. That is the mos
substantial shake I ever experienced.
lie said, as he held UP 50 gold piece
But thenext man stepped up and
silver dollar was left in the preacher
palm. No one would say a word il
explanation, but pressed in on him a
fast as he could stick the metal an
bills into his pockets. The house wa
not large enough for the visitors, eac
one of whom deposited from 81 to 81
In the outstrefched hand. Each lei
the moment his little errand was az
compIished, and not word could b
had in explanation, except the last one
who, as he turned to go, remarked
I'VE wanted to play a little joke o
YOU, ard we hay The sewers
Jokes netted just 1871. His hom
was SAVED and neat balance was LEI
besides. The minister maintained thu
he had cantracted habit that nigi
that for year afterward. when h
shook lind, prompted him to loo
into his osn palm, half expecting
see a pieclof metal there.
A5out the Vikings.
Paul du Chillu differs with man
leading histrians as 60 the social cor
dition of tll Vikings. the direct an