The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-10-13

continue to pay 100 cents on the dollar as
fern erly. and lay by little fornext year.
Secretary Beckwith will not have to use
his unique, unimitable, copyrighted sig
nature quite so freely and his wrist, which
has become lame from writing useful and
original information to the many, who
wanted to know different things about the
''big fair" will have chance to rest.
The fair this year was success financi-
ally and satisfied patrons scattered over a
wide area will smile every time they think
of the fun they had. The catchy line of
the song enjoy yourself and get your
moneys worth" was everybody's motto.
The small boy who just managed to raise
the price and get there of course had the
keenest enjoyment. He got there early,
staid all day and if there was anything he
did not see it must have been carefully
concealed. The small boys capacity for
enjoyment is only equaled by his capacity
for food, and you can wager odds that he
gets his moneys worth wherever he goes.
While we cannot all enjoy the annual
fair like the small boy there is something
to enjoy and something to learn for every
attendant. The fair is in a certain sense
an educator. Some of the lessons that it
teaches are pleasant and some are not.
| The man who pays from ten to twenty
five dollars to learn to play the she'll game
thinks his lesson comes high, but sooner
or later all have got to learn that it is
next to impossible to beat man at his
own game, and those who get nipped on
the shell game may be spared the painful
experience of buying golden brick or a
package of bargain counter green goods.
Another lesson that is accentuated at
the fair is the power of cheerfulness.
Nearly everybody is cheerful at the fair,
and it is one of the prime factors of the
"good time' that this festival brings to
us. We cannot always be cheerful, but if
we can throughout the year put a little OF
the fair time spirit into our daily life ii
/ will work for good results, We shall
never know how much of the versatile ex-
cellence of the Tolland county housewife
is due to lessons learned at the fair. The
hall displays from year to year show what
deft fingers can do in the way of fancy
work, painting, preserving or cooking.
What one woman can do another will try,
and the result is standard of excellence
hard to duplicate. The same rule applies
to the displays Of fruit, grain and vege.
tables in which the men are interested.
The weather this year was not exact ly
what it would have been If the manage
ment of the fair had been in charge of it.
Wednesday morning broke with one OF
the busiest rain-storms of the season. 1t
continued, and word was telegraphed all
around that the fair was postponed. All
day it rained at intervals and about dark
it poured. Many of the visitors joined in
with the local stars In making a day of it,
and getting drunk Most of the drunks
we're good natured but few that were
quarrelsome got mixed up with each other
and made the bar rooms lively. An old
man from Staffordville took In more than
he could carry, and after having variety
of experience was either pushed or fell In
tie gutter He got a bad scalp wound,
but with the blood flowing down his face
he gave an oration which included a
general invitation to the crowd to fight
him single or collectively. He was hust.
led away and physician summoned.
Thursday the weather was fair and
cool-ideal weather. AS result the at
tendance was probably the largest ever
on the grounds. The people began to
arrive early and there was living stream
all the forenoon. Incoming trains were
loaded from the north and south. Teams
from far and near formed continuous
procession with the fair ground as the
objective point. Rome In its palmy days
used to have some good things in the
amusement line, such as chariot races
gladiatorial contests, and all roads lee
there, but Rome in it's palmiest day never
had more different kinds of vehicles thar
appeared at the fair grounds Thursday
The new grandstand was full by O'Clock
and later standing room was at a pre-
MUM. 1t was estimated that there were
10000 people present early in the after
noon, and this estimate is not far out the
way. Nearly as many people as there
were on the grandstand crowded on the
track to see the platform performance, ,anC
there was as many more on the midway
and other parts of the ground So many
people were present that it was with the
greatest difficulty that the track could b,
cleared for the races.
Friday proved another perfect day ii
point of weather, but the attendance wai
not as large. The grandstand was prett.
well filled during the afternoon, however
The total attendance for the three days'i
is thought, will foot up nearly 15,OO'
people.
Thursday was cattle day land the show il
that line exceeded any in the history o
the society. Many fancy herds we're ol
exhibition and the west side of the ground
was the centre of interest for stool
raisers. Good specimens of the various
breeds called forth the admiration o
those interested in this feature. One o
the finest exhibits of the day was the shov
of town teams. No team of less than 3
yoke of cattle was allowed to contest 70
the prize which was won by Coventry
Blooded stock, grade herds, fat cattle
sheen and swine were all aft their best