The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-31
FARMERS At THE FAIRS.
Famous Show Of Ossipee Valley and
tlray'S Fine Effort.
A REPORTERS TOUR THROUGH
THE EXHIBIT AT CORNISH.
Good Horses in the Races at Gray, Which,
Nevertheless, Were Professionalism
Sport in Promise for Today at Both
Fairs

Nevertheless, Were ProcesslOns-Hare
Sport in Promise for Today at Both
Fairs.
Especial to the Press.]
CORNISH, August 3O.-The Ossipee
Valley fair opened today under gray
skies, but with otherwise flattering pros
poets. The attendance of men and
brutes was large for a first day, and
though the men were not as multitude
nous as the leaves of the forest, some of
them looked almost as green. The
brutes were there in droves, and a better
or a larger display of stock was never
seen on the grounds. The air was thick
with ox-goads in the brawny hands of
farmers. who each boosted of having
''the finest yoke of oxen in the five towns
sir.''
And they were fine. Durhams, with
dewlaps hanging nearly to the ground;
sleek, relocated Jerseys, piebald Hol-
stems, and white-faced Herefords were
there in herds. The milky Mothers
with their awkward. capering offspring,
were the objects of the children's partic-
ular admiration, but the great, mild-eyed
oxen, as they patiently pulled at the
huge, stone-laden drags or acquitted
themselves of the other tasks set them,
There was the usual rivalry between the
town teams, but Cornish won after.
spirited contest in the pulling match.
Among so many fine cattle it is difficult
to select, but four three-year-olds, grit
ing seven feet and two inches, red thanked
freckle-faced, white stockinged and
white-horned, caught the eye of the btu
collie reporter. They are Herefords on
the fathers side, and Durhams on the
mothers, and the pick of herd OF 56
owned by B. F. and R. g. Pease.
The hall, given over to womans work
in both the practical and the useless
place where a particularly good ball of
butter may rest near a particularly bad
picture, a pot of yellow cream jostle an
atrociols performance in wax, and set
of baby linen hang by the side OF a
crayon drawing of mountain that looks
like a haycock after exposure to
thunder shower-the hall is we'll filled
with fancy articles, with dairy products,
delicious fruit, and with elaborate
needle-work. 1t is the favorite lounging
place of the women. The men prefer
the horse STALLS
The stalls, twenty-five in number, are
filed by some of the fastest horses in
Maine. Watson, Scipio, Auctioneer;
Blue John. Dan Berry, Dickey Boy, Fred
Lothian, Flip, Valkya, Combination, Kite,
Oakdale Dot, Josie Campbell, Vendome,
Milo, Moose and Maggie B. are among
the fleet ones; while the colts are re-
presented by Wild Rose, Perhaps, Fear
naught Prince, Gertie B. and Joe. Thus
with three hundred head of cattle and
thirty trotting horses on the ground the
display is uncommonly fine.
The fakirs are out in force. Tents
and booths everywhere abound. The
tattooed Egyptian princess, the hirsute
Circassian girl, the devil star fish and the
monstrous sea beaver, the only living
Samson, divide the public attention with
Mr.. Punch and his estimable lady, and
the prince of fire eaters, who lights CT
CARS with his breath. Among the other
living curiosities are the King of Pain,
who pulls your teeth while you wait, and
the celebrated DIR. Drew, the great cleo
trio physician Everywhere can be found
a cane for nickel and a pie for penny,
while the peanut man dispenses his fra
grant COOLERS by the pint.
On the grounds, under the grand stand,
is Herriman's dining hall, where a din
ner fit for an American king can be
found, and all about are lunching booths.
To get to and from the station the visit
ors have at their command Charlie Fair
fields handsome and commodions barge
Argonaut, or Frank Fox's coaches
and mountain wagons. The roads
are free from dust, and the long, level
ride through the beautiful village to the
fair grounds, brief but delightful trip.
In the village itself are the well equipped
Lincoln and Park Houses, where the So
journer is sure of good bed and board.
Today was given up to the display of
cattle. Tomorrow "wednesday the trot-
ting will begin, and three pursesibe con-
tended for: the stakes for foals of 1891, a
half mile dash; the $3.50 purse for four
years old and under, in which Vendome,
Arthurette, Romeo, Gertie B. and Daisy
T. are prominent figures; and the $500
purse in the 2.3S class, for which Auc-
tioneer Combination, Oakdale Dot, Josie
Campbell, Alba, Fred Lothian and Blue
John, among others, will contend.
Trotting begins at o'clock, on the az
rival of the Portland train--or at any
rate the scoring does. The exact time
when the word "go'' will be given is al
| ways a matter of doubt.
I'D