The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-09-13
THE ELKTON FAIR.

| liz 1|lhtOi dll With "eo 1SAN tAiAS
week had better display in all depart
ments than for several years previous.
The stock was, much of it, very choice,
especially the swine department. There
were several pens of Southdown and Cots
void sheep which would do credit to any
flock. The large display of fine dairy
stock was the leading feature of the show
i'll our estimation. There were Jerseys,
Attorneys, Guernseys, Ayreshires, Hol.
steins-all crack milk breeds. There were
also beef breeds, among which were few
Herfords.
The display of horse stock was fair in
numbers and from fair to first class i'll
quality. The new horse association car
ried off the sweepstakes honors, the first
prize being awarded to their French Coach
stallion, Brave, 1885.
There was a grand display of poultry,
and chickens galore, from the tiny Ban
tam to the Buff Cochin and Light Brahma.
About every variety to be found in the
fanciers' catalogue appeared to be on ex-
hibition, and they were there in hundreds.
There was a very handsome display of
carriages, Pogue & Son of Rising Sun,
showing up we'll in this department.
The display of agricultural machinery
was meagre, with lots of vacant ground all
about the few specimens of drills, plows,
harrows of various kinds and few other
implements.
The display of fruit and vegetables of
course was large and very choice, this be-
ing all exceptional season for both fruit
and root crops Apples, pears, peaches
and grapes especially the latter, were in
great variety and superb in appearance.
Melons, cantaloupes, pumpkins and
squashes brought up their part of the veg
etrble kingdom in the fullest perfection.
Potatoes, beets, carrots, etc, were abund-
ant and first class.
In Mitchell Hall the dry goods, fine arts
and musical instruments display was far
superior to recent years and the cases in
the Hall with their knick-knacks showed
that the def fingers of the ladies had been
busy, and the housewife had many tempt
ing witnesses of her skill on exhibition.
The flower annex to Mitchell Hall was
a blaze of beauty with bright flowers and
plants formed into picturesque groups by
the cunning hand of the florist.
The pride of the husbandman must not
be overlooked in this hasty sketch of a
birdseye view of the Fair. Corn, oats,
wheat, the staff of life and the nations
wealth, were displayed in variety and in
quality not to be surpassed.
The mercantile end of the show was
fairly we'll represented in cake, peanut,
root beer, lemonade and lunch booths
The fakirs were not so numerous as we
have seen them on similar occasions. The
man with his ring table, penny a ring,
and try your luck at getting new knife,
stuck up ready to be ringed, and the man
with his little papooses to be knocked
over by the expert thrower, three balls for
five cents, and a handsome revolver for
three straight knock-downs of the dusky
dolls. Tuesday was Children's Day, and
the man with the papooses and balls said
he had lost two revolvers by some of the
schoolboys' expert throwing. There were
a few more fakirs of rather innocent
type and the merry go-round and it
would be creditable to the Fair, the town
and Cecil county FIVE could stop here; but
clustered about the grand stand the SER
pent was seen whose Shiny trail was over
it all.
In the box stood the glib tongued auc-
tioneer selling pools, and calling to the
crowd to put up ten, eight, five dollars on
their favorite horse and the bookmaker,
too, was nearby, silently getting i'll his
moral poison. The wheel of fortune was
whirling and men standing at tables, with
red, black, and the green star, and piles
of silver which they had raked in from
the crowd of country boys who had been
caught i'll the gamblers vortex. Another
fellow had dice box, calling ''all down,
up she rises, two deuces and tray" or
three fours, varying the rythm of his
''all down, up she rises" and the assur-
ance that it was the genuine old army
game, and the country pumpkins were
putting down their dimes and nickels,
while the old army gamester raked to his
side of the table, as he cried "all down,
up she RISES
This gambling, in the broad light of
day, in violation of the plainest letter of
the law, is a disgrace to the entire COM
munity and should be inquired into next
week by the Grand Jury, If it is legal
for Mr.. Woolley and the Fair managers to
invite this gang of blacklegs to Elkton
every year and sell them the privilege to
spread their gambling nets in the face of
the community, then it is legal for this
fraternity of the thief and robber class to
set up their tables OH every street corner
in Elkton, Port Deposit, Rising Sun and
every other town in the county by pur-
chasing 'indulgences" from the commits
sioners Of the municipality.
The preachers of the town, we are i'll