Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-05-12
THE SIDE SHOWS.
Special Attractions on the
Worlds Fair Grounds.
Queer People and Pretty Women
From all Parts of World.


I ihS ii2diAa6cio VI tho "a eARNDitA0u ulSGONeIt<
very early that they would be compelled
TO find place outside the grounds OF tn,
fair proper for the many special attrac
tions and curiosities which wsrs pourins
in from the four quarters Of the earth
They decided 10 make the Midway plais
ance the gathering place of all these novel
ties, and TO permit the concessionaries Il
charge gate fees therefor the plaisanc,
has become a series of side-shows Il i.
still an open question with many visitors
whether the principal circus, the exposi
tion proper. or the side-show Is most inter
esting. For one who likes to look upor
the queer people OF the world, their pc
ouliar costumes, customs and amuse-
ments, the plaisance is favored spot. II
one likes TO note the art with which our
innocent friends from the Orient and from
Africa extract the nimble quarter from
the pockets of Americans, he should pass
a day or two along the single thorough
fare boasted by the aggregation Of side
shows. He will himself be called upon to
drop many good dollar in the slot before
he has seen one-hslf the curiosities, but be
will have had fun enough to repay him for
| his outlay and his time.
As yet the plaisance is rather back
ward. Only a few of its attractions are
entirely ready for the public. So far a
majority of the visitors to this aotley
| spot, this international alley, are men who
like a lark and whose curiosity has been
reused by tales of the dancing girls, houri
and all world beauties to be found in the
various villages and halls 1t is well to
say that the man who goes to the plais-
ance hoping to see something tracy" be-
cause improper or vulgar will be very
much disappointed No such displays or
performances are to be found there. Pretty
women in large numbers there are, and
| many of them dance in the music halls,
but there is no phase of their efforts which
one would be unwilling to take his wife or
daughter to see. In truth, the dancing
girl show is rather tame in every way
Much more interesting are the forty
young women who appear in what is gen
orally known AS the international beauty
| show Technically the affair is called a
display of costumes, the scheme being to
show visitors the apparel worn by women
in all times and all countries. II the
women chosen to perform this graceful
| task should chance TO be pretty enough to
make their assembled beauty an exhibi-
tion of the comeliness of the women of all
the world, al the stronger would be the
attraction. This clever scheme was worked
up by some young newspaper men, and
tbev visited Europe. Asia and Africa in
search of beauties and costumes. Their
efforts were s,,ccessful. and they returned
tn Chicago with a carload of women who
ara reallv worth a davis travel In see
They are not only Handsome woman of
many races and tyues. bnt thew are for the
most mart modest and gracious. and apart
fror, any interest which attaches to their
nersons the costumes which tbey wear
make an exhibit worthy the study of man
nr woman. ------.--s
Though not intended as a beauty show
tho Irish village presents an array Of win
some lassies who are already creating
somewhat of sensation along the plais-
ance Lady Aberdeen set up this village.
which il housed in a Iath and plaster
model of the ancient Donegal castle. ia
mons in song and story, Her intention
was to promote the sale Of Irish linens and
LAGOS and thus help in some measure the
nrosnerity of the people of the Emerald
isle To add to the attraotiyeness of the
EXHIBIT she brought over seveteen Irish
msidens who are as pretty as pictures and
will smash the hearts of half the Young
Irishmen in America before the summer
is over. These seventeen Irish lassies are
not only pretty and winsome, but they are
famous for their deft fingers and domestic
skill Ellie Murphy is the crack lace
maker of Limerick. OF all the lace
makers tlNt Limerick boasts Ellie Murphy
is conceded to he the first and fairest.
Local poets have sung her praises and Lon
don pictorials have printed her picture.
Kate Barry, Maria Connolly and Johannah
Dougherty come from the Munster dairy
school, and their business it is to dole out
to visitors dainty pats OF butter that
melts like honey In the mouth. Besides
,he butter and lace makers there are Irish
lassies who spin. embroider and knit and
others who sell blackthorn sticks, sham
rocks from the old DIRT and various arti-
cles carved out OF bog oak. The Irish girls
live in the castle, and several million
Americans Will call TO see them before the
summer is over.
The Austrian village IL likely to prove
one 81 The most attractive features OF the
| fair. Central hgures among the nSny
quaint structures mere, designed TO show
life ih hungary ana Bohefnia, Will be the
TyroIc.e in their picturesque costumes
and forty-two Vienna coffee girls selected
for their beauty tc serve customers IN the
genuine Vienna cafes. The cafe girls Of
Vienna are noted all over the world or
their personal charms Several OF trem
have fascinated travelling counts and
barons and the sons OF rich Americans AND
contracted thereby ambitious marriages.
Not all OF the forty-two Vienna BELLS are
mere yet, but those who have arrived look
as II they might be what their manager
Claims Tor them, the pick OF the lot There
are more than thlrty buildings in the Aus
TRAN village alone, and the German village
nas quite as many.
AS have SAID, the plaisance is not com
| plete yet hIie the terms Of their con-
tracts required the concessionaries 20 be in
readiness for the public May 1st, ma
| lority OF them are only now opening their
gates. they are pretty shrewd people,
these managers of the side-shows. Many
ofthem had experience at Paris four years
ago, They knew the big fair itself would
not be perfect May 1st. and that during
this month the crowds would not be very
large Hence there was no special reason
| why they should exert themselves. In
time they expect to begin resping the rich
harvest of American money which brought
| then hither.
| There are so many novelties and curiosi-
ties here that at first visit one is almost
| overcome ny them. Imagine stretch of
| ground mile long and 80 yards wide, en-
| closed by high board fence. and this
| space subdivided by forty minor eneloN-