The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-09-24

broideres, or the tiny tots patchwork. The
housewives send samples of their best jellies.
cakes rolls, pickles, candies and Of all sorts OF
good things, in good humored, neghborly rival
~. Besides there ara the great exhibits OF the
Fair-thc farmers fne chickens, ducks, tur-
keys. cows horses. pigs. pumpkins, potatoes,
and many things else. Crowds come and 60
farmers with their wives and rosy checked
daughters. groups of noisy schcolboys and ex-
cited girls, merchants from the village, the
village ladies, commercial travellers all spick
and span, and little children galore-all assem-
bleli to do honor to the evidences of the art,
ill, and industry Of tho neghborhood.
x"x
That the Fair is useful institution many
sweethearts will testify. 1t seems to be a super
excellent place and time for counting pretty
girls. Probably many u bashful farmer-boy has
had the courage here to put the question to his
lass. To many of tho visitors this is great social
cvent-a big receptiom-where they not only
meet all their ncjghbors, but also their neigh
bors folks, who como from the next Township
Tales of gossip, of accident, birth, death, mar
riage, of travel and sickness, fly fast through
the air. Recipes are exchanged household
troubles con sidcd and condolcd, and the news
of all the country round about is exchanged.
x.x
The faEirs mt the Fair were highly, amusing
One man. who was shouting for an elaborate
allcgoricai clock. declared that his was the
only show on tho grounds especially designed
for the brain. workers "-the only show that
was an education in itself. No thinking per-
Dvi1 .,fTo TO- ,irsi A show
-0ne that you need never hesitate to bring
your children TO. A show that any Christian
might be glad to see In the midst OF his
Iiarangue he suddenly dropped his highly
moral, educational tone. His audience had
dwind!ed to two stout coquettist dames-and
my obscure self. He assumed begu'lins
smile and smooth tones. a. Just the show Tor
the two handsomest ladies on the grounds to
see-ust the show for two handsome stylish
ladics-and you're them" They blushed and
made some laughing reply. and turned away
without seeing his show, but in happy posses
sion of the compliments.
Fright here. right here." shouted man
WHO sold whips, watches, brushes, bread knives,
aud Jove knows what else 80 In time OF
peace, prepare for war; some great orator said
that, In time OF peace. prepare for war; Your
hair may not need brushing now, but the time
will come. and here comes brush for a quarter.
Wait minute Gas he notes 4 restlessness in his
audience). Here comes comb, too-a big horn
onc,--for the old woman to comb her frizzes
with. And wait minute. ] guess can find
comb for the old man, for Sundays. and here's
one for tho children. Nice present for your
wife," he said, singing out bashful young
farmer Oh the edge Of the crowd, who, abashed
by his gaze was too shy to refuse the purchase.
He walked off sheepishly, putting the combs
| in the brush and taking them out again. Like
fakirs the world over these at the fair have an
elaborate method, made up Of bows. compli-
ments, personalities, jokes and general imperti-
nence, with which they wheedle the people.
x*x
| 1t was a noisy place. The baseball boys in
sisted on frequent declarations in no gentle
tones. that they were "all right" Six or eight
pretty girls. in their best ribbons and feathers,
were taking in all the sights in long. sway
| ing row, arms linked and nodding heads. They
coquetted and giggled and shreked, and sang
| a tormented monotonous song of "A Fly on the
| WALL" song exceedingly hard on an audience,
though the singers went into gales of glee over
its monotony. This was better than some OF
the other songs. The popular songs" were
about as unpretty as one could imagine, and
seemed utterly unfit for such pretty girls to be
singing. There is an abundance of pretty.
sweet, catchy" songs in the world, without
| resorting to those that are even a trife coarse,
! but the songs at the Fair would not have stood
even moderate test for refinement.
So
The Art Exhibit was very good. There is a
great deal Of fun poked at our minor art efforts,
but here were oil paintings, crayOns, water
coors. china decorations, pastels, exhibited i'll
| profusion, aud not more than Il half-d0zen that
could be called "daubs" with any honesty. 1t
| is true one might lament that SO much of the
work was clever copying oil studies" but there
| was good deal of honest, original work, too-a
few odd little landscapes from scenes round
| work oil china.
In hurried glance over the needle work, a
centerpece embroidered in pear blossoms
caught my attention. 1t had pretty effec.
The piece was of fine white linen; the pat.
tern. thickly scattered pear blossoms, making
a wide border. The flowers were stemless and
were worked with white silk, with yellow fol
the centers. The petals were only half. filled
in. The edge of the centerpiece was button
| holed with the white silk. There was elab
crate sewing there, and undergarments were
made fanciful with tiny puts. tucks and in
! sertion. The tucks and insertions are al
right, but pufs are an abomination-to til,
laundress, and also to the lover of pretty
fiperies Puffs are difficult and unsightly tt
iron, and for this reason. The French under
wear rarely has them, and the French car
| make the daintiest known combinations o
| fine lawn, tucks. frills, )aces and embroideries
| x*x
Of course there were many people at the fail
among the farmer-folk and among the vii
lagers-who had read much, travelled mucl
and seen much, but there were also many wht
have lived year in and year out, in the sam,
place and whose interests never extend beyont
tho neighborhood affairs But among then
one could find counterparts of ones city &C
quaintances. That long -chinned, long facet
woman with long teeth might DO Congressman
So. and-so's wife's sister-so alike are their fea
lures; give that big-shouldered, heavy jawed
red haired young farmer a college education O.
two, and ne will be remarkably like younl
lawyer We know in the city. It's true this fel
low eats with loud noise and his knife an,