The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-10
AT A BAVARIAN FAIR
GERMAN PEASANTS TEACH A LES
son IN THE ART OF ENJOYMENT.
Whole FauiIics Enter Into simple
Pleasures with All Their Hearts
and with ChiIdIikc Ardor.

.
most serious nation in the world; after
hearted fashion in which the American
enjoys himself; after one has marveled
at the steadfastness with which the
Scotchman declines. like Emerson. to be
amused, it is refreshing to spend a long.
sunny afternoon at Bavarian country
fair and to watch the good-tempered
alacrity with which Germans of every
age surrender themselves to diversion.
And diversion is so cheap in this fru-
gal fatherland. The smiling throngs on
every side of us have come prepared
to spend the least possible amount on
the greatest possible pleasure and to
take the longest possible time in doing
so. Many of them will spend nothing,
for the fair grounds are free to all. and
bare-legged children without a pfennig
swarm joyously in the open gates. No
ungenerous wooden wall shuts them out
from the wonderland they have tramped
over the long, dusty roads to see, and
no child dreams of begging, even from
three Americans, who In Italy or Switz-
erland would be regarded as mere prey
sent by benefcent Providence to sup
ply the needs of the occasion. So strong
is this spirit of sturdy independence that
it is a hard matter to be benevolent,
even when one is so disposed. There
are two little girls. standing in front of
merry-go-round who have brought a
fat baby in a wooden cart, and who
watch the revolving horses. not long
ingly, for it is plain they have no ex-
pectations of their own in the matter.
but with an innocent wonder and de-
light. Yet when we offer to treat them
to ride these peasant children show
as much reluctance to taking money
from strangers as though they Were lit
tie Towards. They shake their faxen
heads with wistful gravity, and it is
only when the Snowman adds his Sc
ductive voice to ours that their scrupleS
are finally overcome.
We agree to watch over the baby cart
in their absence, but the baby itself is
far too precious to be intrusted to our
care. He is mounted on rearing
charger, clutched in his sisters arms.
and he looks patiently and stolidly mis-
cradle after the fashion of German in
fants, who seldom. even in the utmost
straits, find it worth their while to cry.
The delight of the little girls, however.
leaves no room for compassion In our
souls. Their round, radiant faces beam
down on us every time the horses wheel
by, and their breathless enjoyment con-
centrates all the pleasures or living into
this brief moment of excitement. Know
ing how far money is expected to go in
these festivities. 1 have given them each
ten pfennigs-about 215 cents-to pay for
the ride, and 1 am not without misgiv-
ings lest this should prove too little for
such prolonged diversion; but when the
music stops at last and the dizzy pro-
cession is at an end they climb down as
| hastily as the baby will permit and run
| up to us shining with smiles. each hold
| ing tight in her little hand no less thar
| six pfennigs in change, which 1T is their
| honest intention to return. The possess
| sion of those six pfennigs-a sum too
| small to purchase anything save NOR
| sci of candy in Amertca-enricheS them
for the afternoon and opens out endless
| vistas of enjoyment
FAMILY HAPPINESS.
What wonder then that whole families
| of the ample Bavarian type, including a
| grandparent or two. half a dozen chill
| dren and the inevitable infant, have
| come for holiday to this paradise Of
cheap delights. A fat old country
| woman, rosy and wrinkled, is solemnly
| swaying up and down in little boat,
! which losses in the air as though it were
| cleaving the waves. Horrible qualns Of
| seasickness Cypress us at the sight, but
| the old woman is absolutely enjoying it.
! When she descends to give place to two
| of her grandchildren she has the air OF
one who has travelled and gone through
| strange vicissitudes. Middle-aged men.
/ grizzled and weather beaten, stand in
! compact crowds around puppet show
and applaud as heartily as boys when
| ever a new manilin appears 1t does
| not seem to me very amusing exhibit
| ton; but this may be because miss the
/ familiar and triumphant wickedness Of
| Punch. Therein monotony about
/ these German puppets, who do nothing
but peer UP through a chimney and get
| ON 10 W
1 hero of the play. Moreover, the dia-
/ logue is carried on between the show
| man behind the boards and his wife,
who moves up and down among the
| spectators collecting pfennigs and re-
| spending In a purely perfunctory and
inanimate manner 30 her spouse's elo-
| quence. This destroys the illusion. but
| not the pleasure of the audience. who
| probably know every move of the game
| by heart and. s1iaye no need OF the ex-
| planatory conversation which accom-
| panies it. One little boy, seated on his
fathers shoulder, is so wild with de-
| light that his shrii screams of laughter
drown the squeaking puppets and call
forth remonstrances from every side. 1t
] is impossible to moderate his enthusiasm
and he is finally carried off to another
| booth where a score of small white
| poodIes many of them the veriest pup
| pies, make shallow pretense of dancing.
but in reality do nothing but scamper
| about, biting at each others heels and
| parking Iuf1OuSiy DIT tie dQQicHIc.r
In the meantime the practical busi-
| ness of the fair is going steadily on.
Merchandise of every, kind is spread over
| the ground or piled up high on counters.
/ 1 notice that the severely useful things
meet with the readiest sales. Pretty lit
tie bits of carved wood, waxen saints
and angels in glass cases, straw bas-
kets, rosaries. silver jewelry and clocks
attract the idlers who have money
to spend; but the great heaps of crock
cry and earthenware are surrounded by
anxious bargainers who replenish their
stock once year when fair time comes
around. / envy them their purchases.
for much of this German pottery Is sim
gularly beautiful both in shape and
color The cheapest pitchers and bowls
are of cool green tint or of deep blue
gray, relieved with lines of white. The
glaze is smooth and perfect, and as they
| lie in long rows on the beaten grass we
sigh to think of the ugly yellow crock
cry or coarse white stoneware which
fills our American kitchens. With the
customary rashness OF tourists we buy
two little blue pitchers. oval, with deIi-
cate spoon-shaped mouths, and two d.
minutive pipkins, the sweetest little pip