The record-union., 1893-05-06


women with braideen-covered baskets on
their backs
These contain a few cones of butter, a
brace OF fowls, maybe dozen or so of
eggs, or any other product of the holding
or their labor that may 'may bring few
pence the day'; but old or young, they
are knitting away vigorously in time to
step and gossip; and all still, old or
young, with their shoes slung across their
shoulders, or hidden in the baskets; for
they are saving them until the edge of
the village is reached, where a brush
from wisp of dewy grass will make
them shine from their late greasing, and
their owners will walk proudly into the
fair with their shapely feet hidden from
the gaze of men, in brogans that
Wud harm an insuiJer,
Or bate deal table,
With murtherin' power
While their owners wor ablei
1t is atch-as-catch-can at an Irish
market, or fair. The first upon the
ground is best served as to location. AT
the village market there is no attempt at
system or arrangement; and the market
place itself is never covered structure,
but simply large walled inclosure along
the principal street, with gates like a
castle, with walls of enormous hight and
thickness as though attacks from batter
lng-rams were apprehended, and usually
1t Is surrounded, at least on three sides,
by the quaintest structures, village
homes, inns, groggeries and shops,
furnishing as picturesque scenes as the
excited groups within the inclosure.
From the market-gates there extend in
every direction temporary avenues
formed by carts ranged side by side with
their backs to the way, and the constant
crowds coming and going with the large
numbers belonging to each cart, all en-
tod
make much good-natured squeezing and
pushing matter of necessity. There are
seldom inner Enclosures. Cattle are
herded against the walls at one point;
asses at another; pigs on foot, kept
gently moving in circles by The skillful
use Of their drivers long ash pixies, will
be massed at another point; goats and
sheep, both extraordinarily combative by
the enforced association at still another;
while all manner of lollipop sellers and
brave-voiced market-amusement pur-
Veyors are huddled together III any extra
space that may be found.
For the first hour or two of the morning
the sale of small truck, such as butter,
eggs, poultry and vegetables, proceeds
merrily enough; but the attitude of buyer
and seller of whole carloads of potatoes
and of all animals is amusing indeed.
Bevies Of buyers for the Dublin and Lon
don markets, men of gigantic stature
with red, puffy faces. and great-coats
hanging over their top-boots to their
heels, each carrying whip Of tremendous
length, will saunter in, take haSty run
about the place, struggling their shoul-
ders as il nothing worth their attention
had been seen, and finally hastily depart.
The while the Irish yeomen, with folded
arms and nose in air, expressive of fine
scorn, bid them all cheerful defiance in
ludicrouS attempts to appear unconscious
OF their presence.
These double pretenses may proceed
until noon with now and then a bargain
struck on the sly; but the entire popula-
ton at the market are on the alert for the
seductive wiles OF the buyer, and to pro-
tect each other valiantly from being car
rled away for fleeing singly to the entic-
ing groggeries near. This metaphorical
throwing OF dust in each others eyes is
carried on during the Belfast fair days,
on the first Wednesday OF each month,
with greater nneSSe and contempt be-
tween buyer and seller than | have seen
in any other portion Of ireland. This is
particularly true between the factors, or
tiaX-buyers from the mills, and the hard
headed peasantry in charge of their cart
loads of flax.
Scores of factors will make their APP
pearance; surround the carts; handle the
silken ''stone" bundles as though it were
3
OF men whose time was valuable; and
condescendingly clap counterfoil price
and order for payment on their respect
i've houses in the sellers hands, as if q
disagreeable charity had been performed;
whereupon the sellers toss them back
disdaintully or light their pipes with
them in fine scorn. Then the factors dis
appear. But that is not the last of them.
one by one or in little groups they re-
turn. These stubborn people must be
somehow saved from their fatal ignor-
ance. Then follow protestation and re-
joinder, blarney and blacKguarding, as
| silvery aud fine as ever human ears over
heard. 1t is of no avail. Away they all
go again. THE byes" calmly resume
their pipes and their "gosthering" with
the old women and young. The next as
sault by these sleek and ruddy Belfast
factors, who are undoubtedly the canniest
| buyers in the world, is on the confiden-
tial line. II Is getting late in the dav,
They come in droves. With military
precision the sellers are herded in squads
| Palaver, concession, sacrifice and defer
| ence ltor prices, plunder and division are
| already unyieldingly agreed upon effect
purchases with marvellous rapidity, and
in half an hour the entire great market is
| completely cleared OF haX-the same old
games having been played in precisely
the same manner tor the past hundred
| years.
In the average village market along to-
ward noon buying Is likely to begin in
| what might seem to a stranger as an
alarming riot. The big traders will make
an onslaught upon willing subject
| Bravely he apparently resists their
| efforts to bully or deceive him. Ii by
main strength he is taken from among
| his friends they will rally and set upon
! the traders and rescue him. Some rough
| tussling may follow, but nobody is
| alarmed at this. 1t is way they have ot
impinging upon formality. The ice once
broken, buying begins in earnest, and
! higher and higher rise shrill voices, often
| aided III pitch ana intensity by John
/ Barleycorn, who is ever the real master
OF ceremonies here, until one would
| think murder must follow the excited
chickering's. Buyers thrash the air with
! their whips, and pour fearful obiurgatious
on the poor animals and their owners
/ while the latter, aided by their valieni
wives, pay back the fierce Safeguarding
| with rlch interest. The "luck-penny. y
which goes with each single beast OF
| group OF animals sold, Is shrek ed over as
/ though it were the value all the market
4 holds. Babel has begun. The lesser
/ sellers crowd around and rise theiI
| voices" luguoriously. Every person has
( drunk enough to be interested in every
other PERSONS affairs.
! Sales are now rapidly made, "dirtying
the bastes" sold, or rubbing mud on theiI
| launches to SO distinguish them, and
driving them from the grounds creates
constant commotion; carloads of pigs
are qumped, amid deafening porkers'
| shrictH, from the farmers carts into carts
OF sSe buyers, whose donkeys are
| pouK ed and rushed through the crowds
Nociferously; an escaping hog drives
| through the forest OF legs madly, often
giving old ladies and young enforced
aerial experiences amid shouts of laughter;
| the hurdy-gurdies blare; candy-sellers
roar; pipers add to the universal din: the
! VOunp peOple crowd the dancing SDaoas