Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-09-27

10000 People on the Grounds-Fair
by Farmers for Farmers.
Madison, Sept. 2G.-"David Harum'
has been located. He lives in Elk.
horn. For forty-siX years he has been
marshall of the Walworth county fair.
lie is rs years old, but spry. lie has
innocent blue eyes. but he was not
born OF a Sabbath. His face Is smooth
shaver and the chin is square.
Getting old. but still Active.
| first saw him from the grand
stand. Horses were between heats
and the high diver from the T0-foot
perch was hunting about for a place
10 undress. The great crowd was
eagerly watching every detail.
There's the old man." said my
friend. The b%est-known man in Wal
worth county was riding to and fro
on the track, with a silver badge
cleaning on his navy-blue coat-one
could scarce see the Il. 4. X. button
i'll the glitter, His nose aud chin get
nearer together all the time said my
friend, but II 5 skin has that healthy
red glow of SHOW apples as it gets on
toward Thanksgiving time"
He was of good height, medium
weight y Itil SASH WIS IuuS lcIinit-
of-bOnor fashion across his breast.
He turned the head of mis- old frame
Of "A horse toward the grand-stand.
and, in a voice that isn't as powerful
as It used 10 be, shouted:
in q few moments the carrier pig
cons will be let loose from the judges
stand. We want to let Milwaukee
know what we're DOING
Tho inflammation Iyny rnnnfvnJ rx;+b
interest; and then David Harum
steercd his old ~horse-Nhich turned
the whole length of her neck toward
haven whore she would be before the
aging frame felt impelled to follow
over against the fence that shut in the
teams in the center of the track. Ad-
dressing a small knot of boys and IL
pair of lovers eating popcorn and hold
ing hands in a buggy from which the
horse had been detached, Harum de.
liYered the same message and at inter
walls could be heard up and down the
track telling the people no to miss
the carrier pigeons.
we van TO let Milwaukee know
what we're doing"
Not as U%neventfuI as lie Looks.
Once | saw Il man stop the horse
and David leaned over to hear the
communication. As Il result the whole
frame of David shook, but his face
was stolid and cheerless as a wooden
Indians. II is George Wylie's way Of
expressing mirth-I mean IIarum's-
for Wylie-Iiarum is a famous wag.
Wylie came into Waiworth county
as soon As the Indians would let him.
You may infer that from the fact he
was a boomer of the first fair the one
held last week was the fiftieth ami
verSary. He has been sheriff. once
before the war; nee at its close; and
once in 1882 when people gave him Il
fancy cane. George Wylie owns a 30.
acre farm two and one-haIf miles from
the city, but his son runs that. Wylie
lives i'll ElkhOrn to be nearer his bust
ness. His sole business is selling"
people. He prefers clergymen: but
will do business as he calls it. with
United states senator's. and has Il
fOudneSS for Smart AlecS from the
city, who enjoy him for what they call
q local CIaracter.' and invite their
friends to meet and enjoy him.
Georges reputation for sells" is wide
and hC has been building it up for Il
good many years. II is one of the as.
sets of the town along with the new
courthouse and the scenery on the
road to Delavan.
Elkh0ru people measure time by
Georges most famous SELLS For
instance, Briggs. the PercherOn King.
will tell YOU that a blue-ribbon mare
was fooled the same spring that
George Wylie sold" 10 Quarlcs. And
the new hotel was built that summer
when the high-salaried st. Louis pull.
pit orator fell into Wylie's net.
WyIie Pre- pares to Do Business.
/ had been told of this curious in
dtI$try III ElkhOrn. and so was on my
guard. l met Mr.. Wylie. who seemed
kindly. and he gave me much inforna-
ton about what is called the greatest
fair III America. | met him by APP
pointment at the Methodist lunch.
r0om-for many church organizations
spread meals at this great fair and
derive. in case, $400 a year from
this source. Mr.. Wylie said he bad
some Methodist blood on his wifp'S side
and he followed that creed to the extent
Of taking his meals there. He said the
women rush home from the Fair and
lii chickens and pun feathers until
midnight that the famous chicken pie
may he in abundance next day. The
church societies have everything given
10y their members except butter and
sugar. Sometimes they Kill one of
their w cattle for the church table.
Any church in the county may set us
a lunch room.
Then George told me of himself.
Born in New York state: moving to
Ohio; coming to Wisconsin in 1912 as
Il boy Of IL, with four brothers ana
two sisters. lie farmed government
lands AMI held NJ! kinds Of town off.
COS He was quartermaSter of the
TWpnty-eighth Wisconsin, aud Colonel
y. Il Gray commanded the regiment
ut the close OF things. He was presi-
dent of the fair for two years. II
started IN fS43 in East Troy. The
farmers made up premiums Of per-
haps 500 and held blowing matches.
Probably the crowd was not over 100
people. II was four years before there
was any racing The show was free
on the town square a diploma was
tie usual award and q 50 premium
was considered a BIC thing.
The Critical Moment Approaches.
Bv this time Mr.. Wylie and | had
got out in front Of the eating place
and the crowd was surging in all iii.
1ectiuns. We had been forgotten for
some hours. and my time had come.
Looking back on it think George had
his campaign mapped ont. The city
Of Troy was taken not more adroitly.
our onverS had been so sweet and
congcuial that the old nan was the
approximation of fifty historic years
] felt that |. too, was imprcssing him
favorahly. lie spoke of Q. Preston,
who grabbed the timber out Of the
fair grounds in 1883 and built the
fence. lie aScribed him high praise.
/ could see tears in the pioneers eyes
as he paid tribute to Seymour Brooks
and others. now dead and gone. who
put their hands to the making of the
greatest fail in the new world.
by this time George had me by the
button hole and his light blue eyes
engaged me. lie fell to speaking of
the evil effects of tCoacco. As | re-
call the scene I think he h%ypnotiZed
me. As ore under the influence of
an anaeSthetic feels himself floating
with pleasing rhythmic sensations
away to the shock that bespeakS rude
awakening 50 l dimly recall the friend
ly, WatChtui eye. the quickening DIS
course, the frightened grip on my eoa
lapel. 1t seems Wylie had used to-
bacco for many years, until tie doe.