Gilpin observer., 1899-08-24
A Seaside Fair.

That's a queer place" exclaimed
Pauline, whom the other children call
ed Polly Prim" because she was so
AFRAID of doing anything new or differ
ent "a fair in sailboat! Nobody
would come"
Ihats the very reason they would
come" retorted Genevieve, who dearly
liked to carry out new ideas. They'd
come just to see what a fair in a boat
is like
I'VE couldn't have any booths in the
sailboat," said Jessie.
Have the sailboat for a booth,
goosie! You don't expect the people
that come to our fair are going to walk
over the side of that little boat and get
into 1t. do you? Why, the fair will be
on the beach right by the boat-that is,
II we can have the old boat" answered
Geuevieve.
The three girls, boarding at hotel
by the seashore. were planning a fair
for charity. They knew of a sweet lit
tie girl, child of a seamstress, who had
been very sick, and couldn't seem to
get quite well because she needed the
bracing sea air
And here we are, well as can be, and
don't need sea air at ALL" declared
Pauline at their first meeting. Things
seem awfully mixed up. don't they?"
1--WE can share the sea air with that
little girl, anyhow" said Genevieve de-
cidedly, after which it was as good as
done, for she always carried out her
plans. At their first meeting they had
decided on a fair. instead of begging
from people at the hotels. And at the
second Genevieve proposed the old sail
boat. She had noticed it the first day
she came to the shore, and thought
what delightful playhouse it would
make. Everybody helped. One papa
hunted up the owner of the stranded
old boat that would never sail again
and lay deep in the sand on the Shore
In summer the children played in it,
and in winter the winds played about
It, The old fisherman who once sailed
1t was dead, but his son said of course
1t might be used for a fair. and they
were welcome to put an awning over it,
and do anything else they chose. So
carpenter fastened up an awning,
flags and bunting were put up, and ia
panese lanterns hung. Then little no.
tices few about like white birds: "A
sea lunch and sale for cnarity, at the
old sailboat, Wednesday afternoon.
Please come and buy something"
Wednesday afternoon was fine and
breezy. The flags tapped gaily, and
the lanterns threatened to lose their
hold and float away at times. The
boat looked very picturesque with its
trimmings. its piles of nice things to
eat, and pretty things to sell. The
mammas and all the young ladies had
helped a great deal, besides contribut-
ing many fancy things to sell. The
three girls wore white sailor dresses,
and fancy, lace-trimmed caps. They
had made believe some of the goodies
were eailor or sea food. There was
great deal of raisin cake, n good kind
when you have to stand up and eat, |
and perhaps smart breeze blowing.
The piles of this cake were labeled |
plum duff" and sold well. Biscuit
sandwiches were marked sea biscuit"
"Clan chowder" consisted OF shelled |
peanuts, almonds and little candies. !
served In clam shells. Everybody want
ed some Of that Had the girls been |
less busy, they might have seen strange |
doingn on the part OF the boys. When
ever u group of people seemed about to |
stroll back to the hotel or to leave the |
fair for a walk along the beach. some |
boy would dart toward them and hand |
out a white card printed with these |
words: Rival show for same charity. |
Sea curiosities exhibited in tent after |
supper. Small show, small price. Ad-
mission. one cent (more will not be re-
fused)." A. last the seaside fair was |
over, and the happy originators OF 1t |
were going home to the hotel with |
their arms full OF bundles and their
pockets full OF silver. Then 1t was that
the boys OF the hotel arose In body
with their arms full of bundles, and
their pockets full of-not coins, but
shells. AS II by magic. small tent
sprang up on the beach. and great was
the noise that could be heard inside
and all around It, Genevleve, Pauline
and Jessie, busy getting rested and
eating supper, saw nothing OF all this
till they found card that some one
had dropped on the hall floor. "Tke
very ideal" they said to each other.
wher they found out what was going
on. Then they hurried to the tent and
talked, Grossly at first. to their BROTH
ers and play-fellows inside. I'VE
didn'. want you girls to think you were
the only ones that could get i'm N
show" said one OF the brothers. "We're
IT.. 10 Noya nm exhihitIon yts.