St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-10-14

The goldenrod and purple aster and car
dlnalhower and marsh marigold are all
in their glory by roadside and stream;
the air is molten sunshine; the colts are
frisking in the hillside pastures, and
punches of soft eyed, clumsy calves stare
at the passing teams over one another's
backs. Here 60 half-dozen deer.lke
| Jerseys down the road, driven by a
tanned young owner, who expects them
to win premium at the fair that opens
tomorrow at Brandon. What is the
pretty GIRL in the next wagon the Spec
tator meets, holding so carefully in her
lap? The oil painting that she is taking
to the art exhibit of the Cambridge fair,
to which her mother is sending the pickles
and preserves that are packed so suugly
in the space under the seats If grand
mother has an ancient sampler or a
hooked rug, or rising-sunquilt to send
along, so much the better-that goes,
too. Everything goes, to use the slang
phrase, IN falr time in Vermont; and
everything gets there.
AS the wagon drew nearer the fair
ground the Spectator noticed, each time,
that the houses wore a deserted look,
Everybody had gone to the fair. The
throng OF vehicles kept on thickening,
and 1t always seemed doubtful how so
many teams could be cared for while
their owners were enjoying the giddy
delights OF the occasion. But the re-
peated legend, "Ten cents hitch" now
began to appear at points close to the
fence that inclosed the fair grounds. For
this moderate sum the canny Vermonter |
can leave his horse in safety while he |
wends his way inside with his women.
folk. The Spectators host, however.
had other plans. He drove his team
inside the grounds, where be found a
place to tie them, and, having brought a
big bag OF oats LETT them comfortably
enjoying themselves under the superyis.
ion, at the first fair attended. of an
acquaintance who had the popcorn
privilege" and whose stand was close bv.
The popcorn privilege must have been
substantial one. too, for every child on
he grounds had large, sticky. pink and
white ball OF that delectable' dainty, the
sickness being impaired by clover honey.
resi-, so to speak, from the bee. City
popcorn is but poor thing alongside of
his pastorally delicious Vermont variety.
The next thing to do at Vermont fair,
alter feeding the horses, is to feed ones
elf, apparently. A clean white tent
offered the mysterious attraction Of
Methodist chicken-pie dinner" The
spectator could not puzzle out what a
Methodist chicken might be, but he con.
called his ignorance and sat down at a
ong table, where abundant rations of de-
cious home made chcken-pie, pickles,
read, cake, coffee, and various other good {
hings to eat were served by women evil s
emily OF note and Importance. The puz. {
lie was solved; it was the Ladies Aid So 3
lety OF the nearest Methodist church, :
Who had taken the lunch privilege" at c
his particular fair in order to make t
honey for their church needs; and the s
pectator, for one, will remember that I
lethodist chicken-pie gratefully as long +
S LIE lasts. At the next fair be went to, +
wenty miles in the other direction, there !
vas Baptist chicken.pie dinner, and, at +
be third, Congregational ice cream was q
erved. All of these ecclesiastical refresh t
lents were so superlatively good that f
be Spectator is sure that no one can i
ONE away from a Vermont fair without t
new love for the church, regardless of r
enominational lines. Perhaps our in. +
t1tutional churches may find hint here n
new way to reach the popular heart. a
The Spectator carried away from each n
'lr delightfully."- confused impression of :
anshlne, dust, prize cattle and chickens,
'st horses, patchwork quilts, mammoth
and stalks OF corn, red-painted
Machinery, hand-painted china, cut flow.
49, dou9hnuts and layer cakes, pies and
reserves. His hostess shuddered visiblv
'henever the jars of preserves came in
ght, and she had excellent reasons for it,
'r 1t seemed that she had been one of
1ree Judges at county fair the year be-
IRE, and the other two ladies had been
navoldably absent. II tasted the whole