The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-09
COUNTRY GIRL AT THE FAIR.

She certainly made a groteSGue figure
as she walked down the busy street; and
1t needed but glance at her to tell that
she was in from the country for the big
fair. She had come attired in her purple
and fine linen-albeit the purple was but
faded light blue serge, and the fine linen
only dingy white satin and cheap cotton
lace. The gown could never, by any man
ner Of means, have been fashionable. 1t
had probably been selected for It's pretty
tint with no thought of it's utter map
propriateness. The white satin vest was
ill-fttipg and ugly, and the broad bands
OF cream-colored ribbon which encircled
her waist distracted nothing from the un-'
graceful ensemble.
Her hat, too, was a marvel in showing
what the country milliner did not know
of her trade.
Evidently, all summer the wind and
weather had had their way with her COM
plexion and left an ample coat of tan and
numerous freckles.
1t could not have been wish for pro-
lection against the rude elements which
impelled the wearing of the coarse white
veil drawn all too tightly across her face,
Or the brown cotton gloves, making her
large hands hideous.
City people see the country girl at her
worst; for in her everyday dress she is
artlessly pretty It is only when. in
honor of trip to town, she dresses up
to something bordering on the barbarous.
AS II In illustration Of the law of con-
trast, directly behind the country girl
walked two who were essentially of the
city, from the point of the long quilts in
their chic golf hats to the tips of their
fashionable waIking-boots. Their shirt
waists were faultlessly fashionable, their
cleaning white collars Of just the proper
height. their bandana ties flaming, and
their well-cut skirts did excellent duty in
wiping the asphalt Having dressed in so
much that was good to look upon, they
perhaps forgot to assume the cloak of
charity. They were hugely enjoying the
appearance of the girl in front Of them,
and with the aid of some very cheap ridi-
cule, sarcasm and slangy sentences they
expressed their pleasure, serene in the
consciousness Of their own tailor-made
"all-rightness.'
Honestly. the biggest part Of the fair"
said one, rs just such sights as this
Isn't she positively stunning, though?"
Her companion was evidently preoccu-
pied, for she did not answer at once, and
then she said. with a serious gravity:
Il know those girls look too ridiculous
for anything. but do you know they
some of them-are awfully wealthy, much
more so than we could ever dream of be-
ing
The smiles died out of the others face,
too. and, with a look of reverence, she
SAID: "Why. yes; that is probably true"
and, as if she had offended deity and
was making repara ton to Mammon, she
added land I really never thought of
that"
Some girls will object strenuously and
with much hue and cry to such trivial
thing as a mans smoking a cigarette and
yet encourage what Is much worse-a
vain attempt at making a very poor
joke.
Last Monday young man and young
woman who looked as if they should have
known better were at the depot, playing
the role of farmer folk just coming in to
the fair. That is, the man was doing the
exquisite acting of the part, the girl aid
ing and abetting him with silly giggles.
Occasionally he would stop to inquire for
hotels, streets and prominent business
houses and to ask the questions which
he imagined the rustic stranger In the
city would be likely to ask. 1t was all such
a. silly proceeding, but the man was evi-
IDENTIFY enjoying himself, for he was ex-
ercising the gift which is vouchsafed to
him in lieu of a sense Of humor, and for
such there is no remedy. Beth.