News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-09-27

for the first time awoke to look upon
this mass of moving humanity. The
question came to mind, Where had
be lived and what was his history?
The dancing tent presented a novel
picture and should be seen to be APP
preciated. The orchestra consisted
of five very old men with hollow
cheeks, white hair, and, like most of
the people, poorly clad. The fiddles
looked as if resurrected from an old
attic. An old man called off the
changes for polka, quadrille, Virgin
la reel and the contra dances. A
small fee was asked the dancers, and
a younger man acted as floor man
ager. There is always belle to
every ball, and the belle of the after
noon was clad in a bright red cotton
dress trimmed with white braid, a
yellow tarlatan ruche around the
neck, hair short and curled, with a
white bow of ribbon on either side,
brown mitts on her hands, and occa-
sionally she wore her hat, trimmed
with light blue, turned up in front.
She was a brunette. Her lover wore
a light overcoat and hat when dane
ing, and looked admiringly on her.
Other types too curious to mention
entered into the spirit Of the dance
with all the gusto Imaginable. AL
though they we're ignorant of Del
sarte, they 'got there" every time,
and enjoyed it immensely. Nearly
all of the dancers wore the souvenir
plush birds. silver tailed pins, and
many of the Young men were inclined
to keep their mouths open when
dancing, thus showing very irregu-
lar, prominent teeth. However, they
had good time. You may ask,
we're there any well. dressed, good
looking people at the fair? Yes,
very many of Vermont's noblest
types. Governors and ex-Go7ernors,
Senators, and progressive, represen-
tative citizens, who are making a
grand success, financially, of the
fair. Six hundred dollars we're taken
at one of the three admission en-
frances, and it was estimated that
twenty thOsand people were present.
1t was q grand and picturesque
sight as we sat on the side hill over
looking the race course, the clear-cut
mountains forming the background
and some of the fastest horses in
| Vermont cOuTsing around the track,
a coed band discussing music, lines
of endorsed carriages in the rear,
stock of all varieties and breeds bel
lowing in the sheds, vegetables of all
sorts in the agricultural building,
and side shows inDumerable; but
aside from this the common people
interested me most. Why are so
many so poorly clad? Why these
odd, pinched, pale faces on middle
aged and young children ? Why
does one mother with a brood of four
children greet another mother with
another brood, including the father,
and holding out one stick of pink
candy, utter the word "bite" and
passing it around, every one taking
a bite from the stick as if it really
tasted good ? Why does another
mother offer one pear to her several
children for bite? Why this pecu-
liar color of coarse, yellowish white
hair, and unintelligent faces? Why
so many children asking "Where be
YEP To my mind it bespeaks hard
lines in Ii e, poverty, lack OF educa-
ton and daily grind to keep soul
and body together. 1t t Ills of the
need of home mission work in our
own states, at our doors, of work
that women's clubs could do for
these people living in the little be-
nighted farms, away from civiliza-
ton, some of whom seem almost as
neglected and benighted as the noun
taineers of the south. Surely we can
never rest easy or long for luxuries
ourselves whiIeso many of the Lords
own are in need of even a little to
brighten their lives.
Abraham Lincoln once said "The
Lord must have loved the plain, com
mon people or He would not have
made so many" and so it seems. II
the county fair has done nothing else
it has brought together the hard
working people, and not only give
them an opportunity to meet one
another, but to get new ideas and
see something of outside lifeand what
is going on in the larger world
"Glad to see we" and hearty hand
shake. "Only two of the old ones
left now 10 the neighborhood, and
jim, he stepped out purity sudden"
Such we're the exchanges heard, and
the two pale, emaciated old war vet.
Grams who met, shook hands and
said, 81 never should have known ye.''
made picture equal to "The Last
Muster" by Herkomer. F.HB.
Worthwhile, Vermont, Sept, 7. 1899.
Endured Deaths Agonies