Evening star., 1895-10-17
IN FREDERICK TOWN.
Echoes Of the Recent Fair-The PeM.
ticians Abroad.

Echoes Of the Recent Fair-The PsM-
ticians Abroad.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
FREDERICK, Md, October 16 1895.
The Frederick county fair is now a thing
of the past for this year. but it was a great
Institution during it's four days of exist
ence. This county fair is the event of the
year for the people living in the country
districts. 1t is the only time some of them
get into the city of Frederick, and people
meet on the fair grounds who never see
one another anywhere else. They come in
all sorts Of vehicles, and drive, some of
them, ten and fifteen miles every day from
their homes and back again. They get to
the fair grounds early and they stay late.
Most of the families bring their lunches
with them and picnic in their wagons or
carriages when they get hungry The dis
play this year was not quite so extensive
as last year, but the standard of excellence
was fully high. There was fine collec-
tion Of stock of every character, and the
judges exercised good discrimination in
their awards.
The fair is well managed and is said to
be profitable institution. There is good
force of police, and though the grounds
were at times crowded but few Instances
of disturbance occurred I saw one man
hustled out Of the gate in double-quick
time because he was under the influence Of
liquor and quarrelscme. 1t was subse-
quently learned that he had struck one of
the women belonging to side show, and a
warrant for his apprehension was speedily
made out.
Side Shows and Fakirs.
Speaking of the side shows. they form an
interesting feature of the fair, and furnish
the only kind Of amusement that some of
the people ever get. The tents are usually
well filed at every performance. and these
are given as fast as the audiences can be
turned out and new ones induced to come
in. Outside of each tent Is the orator, who
depicts In stentorian voice and horribly
bad grammar the wonders to be seen with
in. Usually some of the performers are
brought outside and paraded for the benefit
Of the crowd.
Then there are fakirs of all kinds, who
try to catch the money of the rural Wis
ltorS. l saw one man who made a decided
mistake in attempting to wiring a quarter
from rather innocent countryman. He
was selling a "saponifier," and he asked
the man to just hold box for a minute
and to hand him up quarter. Business
was rather dull, and when the man said ne
didn't want the article, the fakir reiterated
that he only wanted him to hold the box
and hand him up the quarter. The coun-
tryman finally consented, and then the IA
kir went on to descant upon the merits of
the article, and to say that with every box
sold he gave a sponge, which he handed to
the man holding the box, and then wanted
to know who would buy another box for
the small sum of a quarter Of a dollar"
The countryman protested that he didn't
want the stuff and tried to have the fakir
take it back and return his quarter, but the
fakir paid no attention to him and went on
with his selling. The countryman evident
ly didn't want a scene, and he backed out
of the crowd. He had a little black-eyed
wife, however, who didn't propose to be
swindled, and she came back and called
the fakir humbug, explaining to the
crowd how her husband had been worked
The fakir tried to bluff her off, but the
crowd was with her, and she wouldn't be
put down, and SO he finally returned her
quarter and took back his stuff. The trick
was SO palpable that it broke up all the
"saponifier" business for that fair.
Politics.
Thursday Mr.. Lloyd Lowndes, the re-
publican candidate for governor of Mary
land. was at the fair and was entertained
by the managers. He subsequently, made
tour of the grounds and spoke to every
one who wore Lowndes button. There
were many of these. for there Is a large
republican contingent in Frederick county,
party's success. Mr.. Lowndes Is easy and
affable in his manners. and he not only
secured the votes of all the republicans
who met him, but captured a good many
who have heretofore voted the democratic
ticket. but are now rebelling against the
dicration Of Senator Gofman. A good deal
Of politics Is worked at these county fairs
and the one here has been no exception.
The democrats are disappointed because
Mr.. Hurst. their candidate for governor,
did not put in an appearance during the
fair, and say that his failure in this re-
spect will cost him votes in November,
either in those that will not be cast or
these that will go to Mr.. Lowndes.
Where Barbara Freitchie Lived.
No one comes to Frederick without visit
ing the spot where stood the cottage of
Barbara Freitchie. who has been immor-
talized in Whittiers beautiful and stirring
poem. While the incident on which the
poem is founded is apocryphal so far as
Dame Freitchie is concerned, there are
many stories told of the old lady and her
intense unionism and devotion to the
American flag. 1t Is said that when the
confederate soldiers would stop 10 rest on
her doorsteps she would go to the door
and beat them away with the broom Kan
die and then carefully sweep of the steps
that nc contamination might come from
t!,eir having been occupied by rebel sol
diers. Union soldiers. however. could al
ways rest there as long as they pleased.
and the old lady would give them food
and drink. The Stonewall Jackson Incl
dent happened in front of the home of her
riece Mrs. Quantrell about half a dozen
dwellings beyond Mrs. Freitchie's resi-
dence. r. L. II.