The Press., 1898-10-13
"THE BIG FAIR"
Thousands of People Made Happy by the Various Attractions of the Annual Fair of the Stafford Springs Agricultural So- ciety.

routine. President Dennis now has time ito fill a corner at cinch at the roost,. and Corresponding Secretary Gary can give his undevided attention to his various business interests without neglecting his meals or losing his sleep. MT. Abel, the treasurer, has yet much work to do, but he has the wherewith, and the society will continue to pay 100 cents on the dollar as form erly: and lay by little for next 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 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 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 shell 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 little of the fair time spirit into our daily life it will work for good results. We shall never know how much of the versatile ex- cellence of the Holland county housewife | is due to lessons learned at the fair. The hall displays from year to year show what delft 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. It 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 day of it, and getting drunk. Most of the drunks l 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 8 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 led there, but Rome in it's palmiest day never
 
 appeared at the fair grounds Thursday The new grandstand was full by o'clock and later standing room was at a pre- mium. It 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, ,ant 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 il point of weather, but the attendance wal not as large. The grandstand was prett. we'll 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 ,and the show il that line exceeded any in the history o the society. Many fancy herds were ol exhibition and the west side of the ground was the centre of interest for stocl raisers. Good specimens of the variou breeds called forth the admiration o those interested in this feature. One o the finest exhibits of the day was the shoS of town teams. No team of less than ? yoke of cattle was allowed to contest fo the prize which was won by Coventry Flooded stock, grade herds, fat cattle sheep and swine were all at their best