The daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1902-19??, 1902-10-21

anu surveyed the OVer-Wet Steed
trying meantime to eradicate all
whip marks, for the parental survey
might end with the application Of
the strap or rod on his own hide.
Farmers were especially given to
humanitarianism those days and
would no more stand to see a ridge
along a horses side than stand in
front of a locomotive.
1t was common to explain that the
youngster chit fly" trying to dis
lodge him. even though fytime had
long since passed. However, little
Of harm came of it all and soon the
little shavers gave up their horsey
ambitions and took to their books.
PREPARING FOR THE FAIR.
Each season as early as July the
farm lads began preparations for
1.-THE fair.' Many had a garden
patch given them and their fathers
helped them raise prizs vegetables
and the like. Not a few took to
educating pair of steer calves, and
when the fair was on showed them
with commendable skill for special
prizes. There is, or, better, was,
ever market for these we'll match.
ed, we'll broken steers, and not a
few men of wealth to-day can trace
the ''nest-egg" back to a pair Of
calves their fathers gave them as
wages for years hard work.
Horses were luxury, and while
every farmer owned one or two they
were not worked on the farms very
heavily and usually restricted to the
horserake and moving machine,
Every one raised colt or two an.
nua!ly, and especially in Maine and
Vermont the farmer tried to get a
little speed by mating his farm
mares with trotting.bred stallicns.
Owners Of the latter had flaming
posters tackled to posts and on barn
doors at the "corners, the post.
office and other prominent places
giving the stations pedigree back
TO the French and Indian war. The
more Morgan blood they had the
better the farmers liked them at
that time. as, mind you, Dexter and
Goldsmith Maid had not made their
entry on the turf, and so the Ham.
bIetonian family was not in favor.
Go to almost any country town re.
moved from the railroad. even today,
and you find the village doctor own.
ing a snappy, hdgety, blockily made
little mare, ever on the trot up hill
or down, capable of travelling twenty
miles over the billy country in a day
out in all storms, winter or summer,
and mauy times descended from the
"old Morgans, the owner will tell
you. As speed W as necessary to a de-
gree, these doctors bred to the very
best when they retired their old
mares; 80, as rule, they own the
very best roadsters in the township,
AT THE BLACKSMITH SHOP.
At the blacksmith shop long be-
fore fair time one hears a forecast
as to the seasons winners in the
breeding classes and on the track.
These shoers are inclined to try
for speed and usually own a fairly
fast one kept for their especial us.
age during the season, and meeting
all corners on the turnpike after the
work of the day. They own the
only sulky or skeleton wagon in
town, ironed by themselves, so cost
ing less than the kind seen at city
tracks nowadays. Ask one of them
how long the old sulky has been in
use, and you will be surprised on be-
ing told twenty or thirty years.
And, too, the blacksmiths pose as
veterinaries in not a few Gowns.
They are great men among their
fellows and supposed not alone to
shoe horses so as to correct interior
ing, remove corns, make speed, &c,
but know remedies for coughs,
heaves, the many lamenesses and
all. They toll hard and carry many
men on their old states. 1t is sing
ularly the case, too, that all black
smiths pay attention to raising i'm
proved fruits and own the best
poultry to be found in village.
"Fairtime' has peculiar charm,
and it might be well were a return
to the old established institutions
made and at once. True, the state
used to give sum each season 10
each county fair and state fairs are
held everywhere, except IN this state,
yet give Va the old time picture once
again--the primitive, old fashioned
judges stand, with its blackboard,
dinner bell, free and easy manage
ment of the racing, the balloon ascen-
sion aud oft.repeated wedding IN the
basket, the parachute performer to
startle the timid, the David Harum
"hoss Traders the city takers, the
plowing matches, stone drawing
tests, baseball games for the county
championship, all the time honored
departments, and how many would
live over their boyhood days!
We would see long rows of farm
wagons freighted until the springs
We're tlattened out against the axles
driven long distances to the fair,
their occupants camping out those
two or three days and enjoying
themselves as in no other one d.
rection. To-day trolleys run direct
TO the grounds, tickets including
the railroad fare at REDUCED rates, n
4bnd not one old fashioped sides " I
Y R'esa ]! "