Catoctin clarion., 1899-10-26
Denver, October end, 1899.

| CONTINUED FhOM LAST WEEk
Wednesday was to be music day. There
were bands and bands and bands; fourteen
were entered for a prize contest; the man
with music in his soul was gong to get his
fill; Orpheus would strike his Tyre and 10 !
the starry hosts on high were shamed into
silent wonder by the soul-entranclng har-
mony of sweet sounds; the music in the air
would shatter the walls of the grand canon,
and wake the responsive echoes on the top
of Pixies Peak. The people filled the grand
stand at 8 o'clock a. m, and then followed
another tableau that was not down on the
program 1t was Patience on Monument
and it continued for two long mortal hours.
And the sun slzzled and the people sweltered,
but the bands came not and the sound Of
music was not heard. AT il o'clock Patience
grew tired and began TO crawl down from
her perch; then several bands struggled in
and they gave us hot tme'-that was the
unl,indest cut of all-and some other rag
time, and then marched down town playing
tie "Black Hills March, and that was all
the music heard during the day The boys
were so busy watching the other spectators
they forgot to play.
In the afternoon was q molly array OF
entertainments adapted to all sorts and con-
ditions, and you could take your choice.
There was the rock drilling contest and
basket ball games and the big fight and ath-
letic exercises, and in the city park was
lot of Indians and sham battle, and lot of
other shams that drew 10000 people-a buuco
game neatly executed by the robber street
car company, who got the lions share of the
spoils.
In the evening the brave fire laddies gave
a thrilling exhibition run, such a dashing
affair that one member dashed to his death
But man with his head off cuts no ice when
he stands in the way of little fun.
Thursday-The masquerade! the day of
days! so far Smutzer and society had had all
the fun and the glory; now the people were
to take a shy at the show, and the monster
and grotesque proved the people equal to the
task 1t was marvellous sight; ten thou
sand men and women in masks, throwing to
the wind all dignity and decorum, mixing
with the multitude of spectators, surgng up
and down in a wild variegated mass, footing
horns, cavorting like escaped lunatics; and at
night, the masked ball in the arena, under
the brilliant glare Of lights, with the cool
sweet air and the merry murmurs and the
crazy didos, and the grotesque dancing and
the Joyous music and-it's no use, just can't
describe it.
Friday and Saturday was given to the
noble animal, hose. A dandy affair, and no
docked tail received prize, Colorado has
her vices but cruelty to animals is not among
them. Her beautiful birds are so tame they
sing on our lawns and windowledges all
day long.
The leading half OF the show, the industrial
fair, did not show up at all The quaint
little oriental booths were all there dotting
the cross streets and handsomely adorned
with flags and bunting and gaily colored
streamers, but the ranch contingent failed to
provide the filing and they looked as bare as
Goldsmith's Deserted Village"
There is nothing strange IN the omission
when you come to think Of it, one wonders
why an agricultural fair was advertised at
all. AS every one knows, nothing Can be
grown within hundred miles of Denyer
save cactus and sandburs, and it would be
almost impossible to show any green pro-
ducts that were not imported. There is a
faint suspicion in my mind that the chief
fruit display was foreign goods. If the fine
specimens of peaches, pears and apples were
not from old Maryland and Missouri, they
looked wonderfully like. l never saw any
such fruit in our shops here, at such prices
and quantities to warrant the belief that they
were home grown. haye seen no fruit this
summer home grown-that cost less than
10 cents pound for peaches and q cents tor
apples; and without the merchants word OF
honor could not have told from the flavor
whether it was fruit or turnips.
In the vegetable department saw nothing
but couple squash and cabbage. In
flower cage, looking lonesome and torlorn,
was a sprig of coumbine and bunch Of
dahlas.
Dairy products? Yes, there was tub of
oleomargarn tagged creamery butter" 1t
took the prize of course and the judges were
perfectly honest. Denver folks have not
tasted butter fer so many long years that
they can't tell it from grease. Every child
knows no butter can be made around Denver
Cactus and sandburs are not the sort of hay
that churns up into first class butter. state
positively without fear of challenge that not
a pound OF pure creamery butter is made or
ever sold in Denver. have sampled every
brand in the market, which never falls below
25 and 80 cents pound, and l am still hunt,
ing for genuine, bona tide butter.
1t is a question whether Denver will try to
repeat her carnival another year. 1t seems
the universal experience where they have
been tried-ln this country-that in few
years carnivals run their course and cease to
attract New Orleans "Mardi Gras" is a
notable exception owing probably to the
difference in character, temperament and
motif. The warm, pleasure loving, light
hearted nature of the South, tinctured with
the glamour of love and beauty, can stand
that sort of thing better than the northerner
Besides, the Latin and Gallo races are actu-
ated less by the selfish and mercenary mo-
tives that govern the cold blooded money
scheming Anglo Saxons. Denver is liberal
and hospitable, eager and enthusiastic to
take hold only of that which offers money