The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-18
SIDE LIGHTS ON THE FAIR.


SlDE LlO1lS ON The fAlhs
Unique Features of the Exposition.
An American crowd-and no GROVE could
be more thoroughly American than the
one which pours through the gates at the
State fair every day this week--is the most
~good-natured crowd in all the world. That
fact has been proven long ago. That the
large masses of Indiana fair visitors can
be handled each day at the exposition
grounds with scarcely any confusion. with
out accident and without friction worth
mentioning is proof conclusive of the gen.
eral good nature of the people who endure
without complaint innumerable discomforts
for the sake of carrying out their original
intention of taking in the fair. There
may be plenty of pushing and struggling
for places of vantage in the grand stand
and along the home stretch of the race
track these afternoons; there may be such
things as receiving a bag of unreliable
peanuts in return for a good, honest scent
piece and a ham sandwich with a dis
reputable past in exchange for a hard
earned dime. but you will hear few ex-
pressions of discomfort and disappointment
anywhere. The fair in itself is a big sue
cess and everybody seems happy.
1t Is a matter of interest to calculate
the amount of money that circulates
through the advent of this formidable
transient population which, as a matter
of necessity, must indulge not only in a
MONDAY repast, but in occasional gratif-
cation of appetite and quenchings of
thirst. 1t is only a small portion of the
State fair crowds that takes it's own
lunches along nowadays when starting out
for a day at the Indiana show, and on a
big day, such as yesterday, the amount
of money spent by the pleasure seekers,
exhibitors and the army of employees and
workme about the grounds for lunches
alone would have made a good-sized for
tune IL 1t could have been collected to-
gether I'm one big. generous pile. The lunch
stands and refreshment booths are in
Vulnerable this year, and one often finds
himself wondering where all Of the peo-
pie connected with them came from and
how they ever Glanced to hit upon such
so much better fitted for anything else
than feeding a hungry public! In one of
the little lunch places near the Fine Arts
building two youngsters hold full sway
a boy and a girl, each of whom would
probably tip the scales at something over
l5o pounds. They are so fat and healthy
ed to inquire whether they themselves eat
the same sort of food that they offer the
public, or whether, like the lunch-counter
girl In one of Hoyt's farces, they go home
for meals"
Its good, good. good. sgoodl' the boy
exclaims, as he turns with his long fork
the piece of liver that he Is frying In a
sizzling skillet; and the girl backs him up
in his assertions by adding: It's the only
real home cooking on the grounds" And
they usually succeed in enticing many of
the passersby to their stand, too, for, as
one old bewhiskered countryman explained,
as he dug his teeth into a liberal cut of
the meat, Liver always smells so dern
good that a fellow can't resist It,"
Another refreshment stand that seems
to have its share of excellent patronage is
one near the poultry pavilion, whose pro-
prietor makes a speciality of fried chicken,
and Is mighty proud Of it. He gravely an
nounces that his enterprise is in no way
connected with the chicken exhibit on the
inside of the adjoining building. I'VE amt
interested in no live chickens here" he
called out yesterday, in the midst of his
harangue regarding the merit Of his
goods I'VE sell 'em fried"
And a long time dead" added a white
haired customer who had evidently been
unfortunate in his selection from the i'm
mense platter OF fried fowl.
To some observers the people themselves
are more interesting than the exhibits. Not
that the exhibits are not of the best-for
they are superior in every way this year
to those of the past-but to the one who Is
not in the least interested in machinery,
processes and the way in which things are
made there need be no exhibits at all and
he can still find plenty to entertain him
about and around and among the buildings
and along the race track. There are any
amount of little incidents and episodes con-
stantly taking place where over twenty
thousand people are assembled as pleasure
seekers.
Yesterday afternoon a man and a wom-
an, evidently a married pair, and undoubt-
edly, from the country. were leaning up
track at a point near the grand stand.
where the crowd was thickes They were
literally hemmed in by the hundreds of
people about them and were unable TO stir
up early In the afternoon. The hot sun
shone down fiercely and the man moppcd
his brow from time to time while the
woman looked about her uneasily as IL
weighing heavily upon her mind.
Suddenly she said. with a tremor In her
voice, John. i want TO get out of here"
"You can't do H." John. GRIM
Wait till after this race"
The woman was silent for a moment or
two. Then. "John." she said. and there
was a determined look in her eyes, don't
you think these people win let me get
through"
John shook his head but she was not to
be put of this time. There was a do-or-die
expression on her face as she managed to
crowd that was impeding her retreat.
LET me out of here!" she commanded in
a voice that rang out good and strong
under the impression that something UNI
usual had happened. parted and the little
woman slipped quickly through the OPEN
ing, followed by the wondering John. She
paused on the outskirts Of the throng and