The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
xENrUcKH,s NEGRO FAIR.
A BiE Success from tho Culinary Point OF View
ana Several others.

LEXINGTON, KY, Sept. 1s.-Thc negro fair
which has just closed here Is the only fair given
by colored people In the state. AS a result ne
groes from every part OF the Commonwealth
were in attendance.
Eating booths extended along the lawn lead.
ing to the grand stand for n quarter Of a mile.
They were unlike the booths used by white
people at their fairs. The dishes were cooked
on the ground. The average negro does not
like cold food. lilo becomes surfeltcd with
that kind Of food, as 1t is customary for the
white people hereabout to give the negroes
what Is left over. At fair time the negro feels
that he ought TO improve his usual dict and
have everything hot. Cooking stoves are set
up Immediately back of the booths and hiR.
black, greasy cooks dress chickens. clean Il 4,
and chittelings, and prepare pigs feet be-.
the eyes OF the hungry. They would fry tao
fish 10 order and the chicken they would cook
ms desired. No cook on earth can excel tho
negro in preparing chicken. They would cook
IL in every style imaginable, and IL was always
juicy and tender ana u dish fit for the gods.
And fish they can fry to u turn, rs brown and
crisp us can be and thoroughly done. Chittel'
ings. or, as the negroes say. "chitlins," arc pre-.
pared from the intcstincs of hogs, and il II
man can bring himself to forget this fact, they
are a most delightful dish. The meat Is as
white ms frogs legs and almost as tender, and
when 1t is fried in a batter, or stcwcd and sea
soncd with cream and butter. 1t is highly cs-
tCemed by co!orcd cpicurcs and not a few white
people. For dessert the negroes had pies Of all
kinds. As pie makers the negro cooks of Ken
lucky arc equal to the best pastry cooks of the
North. They believe in lots OF " gradients, -
and they make what the little boy would call
the --LATEST" kind Of pies.
There was n little ice cream served on tho
grounds, but not very much. Negroes are not
fond OF ice cream. But the watermelon was
ever present. The negroes would cat it before
meals and after meals and between meals, and
when the fair was over the grounds were lit.
tered with watermelon rinds.
Although the weather was scorchinB hot, the
negroes drank hundreds of gallons Of hot cof'
fec. In fnct, their bill OF fare would DC more
suitable to the kiondike in winter Than to AN
In addition to the coffee they CONSUMED large
quantities of hot ,''bureoo, - the famous Ken.
. reiSSr S SGdicc w cnis Of o. % beSf, w " SC shisten nS.
squirrels, pigeons, doves, roasting ears, tomatoes,
mass is boiled in Kettles holding from 100 to
800 gallons each. They begin cooking it al
about IL o'clock at night. 1t is the business OF
one man to keep 1t stirred constantly so that
none OF the ingredients will sink to the bottom
and become scorched. 1t is not ready to be
twelve hours OF hard boiling. Then II is su.
perb. All the meats have been boiled to shrcds
Ine vegetables are thoroughly uO1e, ana INT
whole mass blends SO perfectly that the burgo-
Is thick and ropy like New Orleans moiasse.
and in flavor surpasscs any soup ever con
cocted by the most famous French chefs, II
possesses the quality OF sticking to your ribs,
as the negroes put IL: 4 man can eat a pint Of
him rs much strength as a square meal. More
than 1000 gallons of this rich soup were con
Another clara %:teristic Of the negro came ,c
the surface during the fair. AS a class ncgroc!
are inveterate gamblers. There were nutIer
l1tG tpaT 1h.l OF ! an.n mn tho EyrTt mt s.tNl IA.
way the negroes backed their jud ment wa!
a sight. No matter what the game was the!
together in the dealers favor II made no dlf
ference 20 the negroes; They would bet Of
English h hazard as quickly as The! they would on 4,
miniature horse race or wheel OF fortune will
the greatest eagcrncss; They ahowcrcd none!
ON the red, white, and blue game, in which th'
percentage is all i'll fnvor OF the dealer.
But the negroes enjoyed themselves. Their
they had ii. They left their cares behind then
and the four days the fair lasted was a rcsula
round Of pleasure. Tho horse races, OF whicl
there were three on the card each day, al
for3cd me greatest excitement. 10 Futurity
D.GbS. Or Grand priX ever stirred Americans
Enslishmen, or FrcnchmCn more than did III
little purse races decided during the fair
suit, and during the running or ~trotting of IN
races the men would shout themselves h0arsc
throw their hats in the air. anu in every out
ward manner emphasize their enthusiasm. Tn
women would grow hystCriCal, hug one another
scream, yell. and strike the seats with thci
parasols. They got more endowment ont Of Ia
races than could possibly have been conceive
by an audience Of white pcoplr: They nevc
complained OF the Judging. and those who wcr
losers accepted their bad luck like philosopher
md scraped together enough money to bet 81
the next race.
and in addition 10 the trottinE and runnin
aces several bicycle contests We're given. Som
fast time was made and the racing Gillette,
much enthusiasm.
During the four days 5000 people attendc
in a most Exemplary manner, and The policc
had bur little TO do. On Friday, the biggc-
day OF the fair, when 10000 strangers were i
the city, there was only one arrest made. an
that for drunkenness. The fair was n big SUI,
cess. The white fair. which had been held her
for many years, was abandoned year before las
ms the association could not make ii pay. TIL
negroes, having been more fortunate, are tel
ing the white people that they ought 10 tax
lesSOnA from thcip.