Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1898-09-15
Short Stories From the Fair.

He looked like man from La Juuta.
He wore us many Melon Day souvenirs
on the lnpels OF his coat as there nre tin
medals on the raiment OF an Indian
princess. They begun with button
hole bouquet OF artificial flowers fastened
on his necktie and ended with the brass
burro, loaded with mineral water, dang
ling near his waist.
He walked down to the end Of the
sidewalk on Main street and run his eye
furtivcly up both sides Of the street to
see il he had gotten out OF the hustle
and observation OF the crowd, and then
took good look ut himself. Then he
soliloquized as follows:
"Well, think I've done the town. I've
got souvenir Of every kind on SALE I've
taken whirl on that machine with the
wooden horses, heard the ventriloquist
dolls and bought u package OF that fell
lows magical, dagical soap, had all the
Lemonade 1 could drink for five cents and
filled the rest OF the space with free
melons from the big pile. Now TIM ready
to go home. I wonder when our trim
starts?"
And he begun to meander back to the
railway tracks. "HelloI' he said, "Here's
bootblack's chair. HID my hair cut
and n shave when struck town this
morning. but hain't had no bootblnck
Guess I'll take it in" And lie climbed
into Fred Knause's bootblacking chair,
asked him how much it would cost, aud
told him to drive nhead.
"How did you like the Fair?' nsked
Fred, aiming to be genial with his GUS
toner.
"The Fair? What Fa,r?" asked the
man from La Junta.
"Why, the Arkansas Valley Fair, OF
course; the worlds fair, down there in
the Melon Grove, other side Of the high
board fence. Didn't You see it ?"
NAV! What they got there?" asked
the customer, in tone that evidenced
disgust with himself at having overlooked
something.
"Why. big show" said Fred; "horses,
cattle, sheep, hogs-biggest in the coun-
try-table loads OF fruit, patchwork
quilts and wall full OF oil paintings"
"What else?' said the stranger, in
tone OF undisguised regret and chagrin.
why, horse races, cowboy races, burro
races and hot peanuts and pink lemon
ade," said Fred, rs he oaw the agony
| piling up on his customers countenance.
Gan 1 get there yet?" asked the
stranger.
Don't think So said Fred. "Show's
about over now. You'll miss your train
| II you go back to the Fair ground.
Fred got him n drink OF ice water to
quiet his emotion, and he went over and
sat in corner Of the waiting room till
his train starred, the most disconsolate
looking man in the whole days big
crowd.
| 80
He was member OF the Manzauola
Methodist church and was helping to
run the church refreshment booth on the
Fair ground. It was his business to
carve the bakers bread and open the
canned goods. They supplied him with
one of the newest patent can.openers
and he worked away on the first can un.
til lie got quite red in the face. But he
kept his month quite firmly closed.
When he started In on the second can
he walked over to n more secluded cor.
ner Of the booth, and, as he worked, he
began talking to himself. His conduct
and his remarks attracted attention.
"What are you doing. Brother -"
asked one Of the women.
Opening can"
"What are you opening IL with?"
Opening 1t with that new.fangled
patent can.opsner vol gave. me. Did