Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-17

I smiled: but therrs Vas pathos In the
simple little sr6fy. That ls the TYPE
for which, Expeditions We're made.
The.y tcsaUi u fair as a liberal educa-
.tdN, anN they get liberal education
~Nt VI it. Though it exha"a,S all their
little savings. theS font hurry through
their trip Every inch of the EXPOSE
ton Il gone over seriously: every
label gets reverent attention: they pes
ter the sulky attendants with inEenu =
Gus questions: even the Midway IL
forced to yield NY instruction They
go home saturated with new IDEAS and
hand down to their childrens children
stories of the advantages which they
have wrcsted from unflIendly fortune.
The masses make a cheerful mess of
exposition Technology. Plaza becomes
plaza or PLAYER on the common
tongue: we hear of "Staddiums, ana
"Filly- pie-nos COR "Phlllipians'o and
"Santy-eye-go." The tribune of the
Stadium is referred to as the
Forum. and as for that shtbboieth o'
the unlearned-the Propylaea-the
crowds go round 1t. refusing to risk
pronunciation at all.
Less lovely even than untaught lS-
norance is the arrogant self-sufhciency
which could give points to the director
general about his own fair. There are
plenty of people who know that the
Elmwood Gate is called AM herst, tnat
the Illumination il best seen from the
Art Gallery. that the big blue doomed
building at the east of the esplanade IS
called the Megaphone Building. and
that the President was shot in the
Mission Building. Attempt at your
peril to set them right. They are as
FESTIVE under advice as If they were
compelled to follow it. preferrng to
miss every sight at the fair rather than
accept direction. The worst of il Is
such people are rarely content To DO as
they would he done by. They dis
tribute misinformation with free
hand. Any fine day you can see num-
hers of them leading helpless folk 70
their undoing.
The helpless folk are nnmernu"
class. Too tmid to approach the blue
and-gold guards who are paiu To an
swer their questions, they torment
chair boys program sellers. and pop
corn men. who are not. Nor are they
content with one reply. Having eX-
tracted all available information from
one source. they fasten on another vic
tim. who is pumped dry. only tn he
superseded by Il third And when they
have asked thu same question 81 a
series Of unfortunateS. il is my settled
opinion that they go and do their own
way.
The money question splits the crowds
into wcll-defned strata. There ar"
people Nho go home boaSting that they
never spent cent at the fair except
for meals ana gate money. ON the
other hand. there are reckless souls
who ct gluriously broke" and Ike it,.
The FIRST type denies itself even things
that il really wants % see for fear that
somebody Will get some money cut
NJ them" II goes in for everything
that is to lie had for nothing. ON Rail
road Day these. economical souls We're
,uShinG about the grounds. Vainiy Try
ing to Gee all the free features. S"m-
uf which unfortunately took plI," tnu
III ths same hour at opposite sides ~
tht fair certain Of these people Were
sun fasting at tive in the afternoon
Tor fear they should miss something:
ana So from tn" parade mt ten. through
the Columbia football game at four
they had GRAINED their necks and drunk
in The surfeit of novelties on an empty
stomach These are the people who
stagger under great bales of adNeTtis-
ing stuff who spend their precious
hours At the Exposition IN having their
eyes examineI-free. They it is who
lunch for nothing At that great per
ambulablc restaurant. the Foods $40
ton of the Manufactures building.
biscuit here, poStage-Stamp Slice Of
sausage there. a pickle in another
place. with a pancake for dessert and
somebody's matted milk I" wash II
down. makes meal worth waiting an
hour and half to get. At least. $"
think the economists.
Not far removed are the bargain
hunters. They do everything that is
cheap. whether it is desirable As well,
OF not. That is why the 'speiler" in
front Of the low priced show contents
himself with crying mechanically.
Ten cents. Ten cents" No name
over The door. nor any glowing praise
Of the show is necessary. 1t is ten
cents" and that is enough for the bar
gain hunters. They measure the cost
of Midway shows by the cost of adj
mission TO the exposition, asking. il
fifty cents takes them through the
gates into this great show. what bust
ness :. mere sideshow has to demand
half as much
Among the careful folk is class
technically kHown as "grafters. who
live on their friends. Watch for 4 mo-
mont beside any Midway box office
ana YOU VIII see this ignoblc brother
hood. and how it Goes its work. Two
gentleman bear down upon the office.
one loudly demanding the privilege of
paying for tickets. The other man says
little and looks sad. Look now at the
man who is willing to pay: why does he
hold his money so tenderly? He has
only to lay ii down at the window and
no one will prevent him. This sort of
episode has ever one ending. The sad
seed. silent man pays. and the loud
protaster goes into the show free and
still protesting.
There are however people 50 careless
IL, ,l,..f,. hat ht 4