Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-05-07

AT IRISH FAIRS.
Priced Resorts for the Gossip
and eosther.
WAkEMAN's wANDERlNGs.
wonderful seorn and Fine Play Preceding
bargains for Poultry. Pig. or FLAX.
Interostisg Scenes and
Groupings.
WAkEMAN'S WANDeRlNGs,


For The Sunday Gazette.
london, April 20, 1899.
| fOr the purpose of Illustration there
Is as little difference between the lrlsI
fair and the Irish market-day, as iert
could be found between "a rale drop of
me right sort and "A drop OF the ras
right sort which from time immetno.
rial has been inseparable from the proper
conduct Of either. The actual differ
ence IS this: The Irish fair. whether
held at the little village in Donegal or
Merry, or attended by thousands, as M
Bailinasloe, Athlone. Cork Belfast or
dublin, Is an affair for the display and
sale OF animals only-horses, cattle, as.
SEES. pigs, sheep, goats and occasionally
| poultry. Perhaps eighty Irish towns ana
cities hold from one to four fairs each
year Some are for the sale of one class
oil animals only; of hogs as al Linn
erick or Athlone; Of cattle, as at Ballin-
ASIDE; OF horses, as at probably the great
est annual horse-fnir in the world, that
OF Duplln or,as at Cushendun, for the OK
elusive sale of the noted Cushendal no.
mes bred on the heathery mountains of
Antrim overlooking the weird and
stormy Irish sea. But at most of The
Irish fairs all animals bred In ireland
are exposed for sale: at many others
farm products may be found: while the
great butter fairs Of Cork would almost
Vi, eAt hVtbu Nuul tue MOFlu y
nutter is mnde in the sunny wales of
lreland's South.
Inc market-day, on the other hand,
is universal und interminable. Hardly
gay passed IN my nearly years wand.
erlng IN Ireland when / did not come
upon some town or village where the
fair or the market was in full progress.
The area of Ireland is 231o5 square
.ailes less than that of the state of N.
linois; yet ireland boasts of 26B market
towns where inarket-dnys are
held from one to three times
every. week in the year All
this is Picturesque and interesting 20
the traveller; but my observation leads
me 10 believe that there is vastly too
much market, of the sort, aud vastly loo
little 10 market, of any sort. in Ireland
The shoDkeepers, petty traders, and
"shebeen" men like il well enough; for it
brings the people together for trimming
at both ends of the yardstick; but the
tenant system behind it naturally ren.
ders TINS very custom necessity to the
peasantry.
The tenant-farmer, particularly one
with tiny holding, must have, because
his condition is never else than precari.
GUS, handy means Of ready money.
The market-harpies discern with unerr-
ing scent all who are pressed for rent
Of interest money, and they Instantly
y
with matchless running and blarney.
Thus those most needing fair return for
thu pitiable tribes they are forced 10
sell are invariably plucked at both ends
of their needy the constant necessity
of providing rent money for the land
by the buyers who, just us fortune tell.
ing gipsies learn all the closet ghosts of
half a country before they begin opera
tions, knowing that this one or that one
from this place or that, dare not return
home without money, cOntlive to send
him back ''o'er an nisy road for the light
ness that's in his pocket"
Still another reason makes the Irish
market-day popular though disastrous
to the acquisition of means among the
of the people If better Oppor-
tunity for securing comfort and compe-
tency We're possible. The stranger TO
Ireland can hardly conceive of the bar
renness of diversion or incident In the |
lives of the Irish peasantry. Education |
and books there are not, save In favored |
regions. Something must occupy the hd- |
man mind aside from the scourgngs of |
everyday toll. The market-day, in its !
exchange OF countryside greeting, In |
excitement and general rly.burly, with
this primitive folk stands entirely In the
stead of the weekly paper in our own
renoter country districts. Indeed, 1t is
far more.
The telegraph and the railway pene..
and America. In more than one half
Df Ireland there are country folk who have
lever seen railway car. The market
village Is still the ultimate of their hOri-
ION. The little holding on the mountain
tide or in the Wiley. the little chapel
where they gather for Sunday mass,
Jrtigs them all together, the rustic dance
II wedding with their rude and bolster
rus cOnvivalities, the wake which most
powerful priest or prelate cannot prevent
by the direst sacerdotal thunderings,
md finally the little graveyard. where
III must eventually come, provide the
arthest metes and bounds of their hum
lie lives.
One may wish IL different, but II Is
die to discuss 1t all, save on the exact
ines of their uneventful lives; and be
ause the warm Irish heart occasionally |
earns for something more "heartsome."
han it knows in its scanty cabin sur
l do not want the regard OF
hat aforementioned man who would
envy every soul. cnvirOned as these,
ve;y hour of diversion AMI Ish,some-
ess that can be got from either fair.
Iedding or wake, even II the poor souls I
earty and soft for the days or nights
divarson,"
Whatever trihe the tenant-famy may /
ave for disposal on market or fair day
he entire family accompanies it. The ]
Nd nlountain-but of a cart is got out {
nd spaIingly creased the night before; l
he rugged donkey or lily kept horse
) given an extra portion of food and ,
additional combing and scraring, that I
is old bones may gain new lustre; and I
ing before dny-break, from mountain I
Green aud mi4t-hidden valley chattering i
rcnps begin moving toward the village I
The chldre dear are slowed away a
long side the pigs, ducks, chickens or 1
egetables. for the common excitement 4
as kept them awake all night and now =
yer the stoniest Of ttAh roads they are '
SlaIin Rugs around their swate selves
ie youths may be tfrdging hopefully o
ongside; hui the "ould woman" and the
puld man" are ever found lovingly fiji
umped together upon the only seat the o
art affords, often agrceably exchanging u
iffs from the same comfortable pipe. q
But step with me here beside the way o
EAR the town, and see the motley crew p