Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-09
A GERMAN MARKET FAIR.



This week there has been an opportunity TO
see market fair in Hanover, which occ1ra
only thrice year, and lasts but two CT three
lays In fact. | am just returned from wan
ae<tng about town in drilling rain, bump
ing umbrellas in the crowd Of chsfering and
chattering Haaoverians, and receiving an oc-
.asional curse from some booth owner Be
cause Of the unintentional bat none the less
vet stream OF water which my umbrella tip
pumped down upon bey cakes OF candy. The
stalls and booths for the display Of the wares
we're 10 be found IN various Parr Of the town,
aocoriing TO the nature Of the sales; thus live
stock was 70 be had in one sactlon, books il
another, notions IN the third, and 50 On
Today spent my time in the old portion
Of the city and here the center OF hustle and
Interest was the ancient Market church
From the square upon which this church
stands the lines Of booths stretched CD the
streets. radiaTing right ard left from the
Market square These booths were hastily
rigged affairs, built OF boards, with their
toys covered with canvas against the rain. sc
that they looked like a row Of Indian wig
vans Every conceivable article. and some
tRcUceivabie, were TO be purchased along
these rows, behind which stood mcn and
women crying up their wars or doli1g out
snail portions TO the peasant buyer
Before O'Clock Of this rainy afternoon the
oil lamps were lighted and hared picturesque
IL ia tire wind Through the middle Of the
streets s9rged the crowd Of buyers, many OF
them country folk, who had come in Sicily
Tor the fair. They clatterei over the cobble-
stones q their sabots and bat down pr1ces
With high heart and volubihty. Above rose
the gray CID houses and high over all the
venerable and MASSIVE church, under Who's
walls for ave centuries humanity was bought
and sold, lived and diei. II was scene for &
Dickens and sighed for his insight and hs
graphic power Of description
At some OF the booths foreigner was e.
pecially tempted 70 nd himself OF few PED
MES or marks For example here hung BY
the score those long, porcelain BOWED pipes
which are 50 typical Of thai country, and
hard BY were all manner OF blue earthea-
ware drinking Jugs, mugs and tanka-ds,
with blbulous mottoes In German script and
metal covers that were JOY 10 see In some
cases some magic sign Ike Aus Italiea7
was hung IN front OF the booth, and there
you were sure 10 find cheap jewel-y. taEdry
paintings or bizarre house ornaments. thoss
behind the improvised coEnter being dark.
Sallow and melancholy eyed, and wearing
large rings IN their ears efJer the manner u
their race
There seemed 70 BE - couEruity here Ia
the arrangement Of the Successive stands: Be
sde one exclusively devoted 70 worsteil
would DC another where the sgcculent sausage
and the rnalo39rogs but beloved li-r5ur-e,
reigned supreme. and little farther on ths
toys OF childhood hoonc5bed VITA a murder.
Gus array Of knives, biz and little, ranging
blade Of the hog killer. The motley OF sale.
and sights only made the scene richer and q
characterize picture Of foreign street life
am told that the articles In be boaEht q,
these fairs though cheap, are shOdiy and UT
reliable, and are avoided by The willy citizen
the chief profit accruiEg from the oper
mouthsd country pumpkins who judge b
outside show and the oily assurances cf Tia
prepriesoy. Hartford CoG-ant