Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-08-02

Not only does the Pike cover mile
of street, but so closely is it packed that
one Of its features has actually been
! crowded outside the fair grounds fence,
and two or three of the largest attrac-
tions have had to be placed bodily in
other parts of the grounds. Notable
among these is the Boer War.
But hold. The manager of the Boer
War assured me that that "ain't no
+ ordinary Pike show" and in that state
ment he is strictly correct. 1t is a big
I, open-ai spectacle, occupying several
acres of ground and using several hun
dred people. 1t is one of the most con-
spicuous features of the fair, both to
! sight and to sound. The 1ntramural
Railroad makes two stops at the gates
of the Boer War, and at certain hours OF
the afternoon and evening, if you are
anywhere within two or three miles, the
rattle of rifle fire, the bark of machine
guns, and the booming of cannon, will
announce to you that "the Boer War is
on"
| In the performance various bodies OF
troops and individuals are introduced,
many of whom actually took part in the
South African Boer War, the browning
feature being Gen. Cronje himself.
Then after several minor features, some
of the battles of the war are reproduced.
From kopje or block house in the
distance comes rafting fire, answered
by the skirmiShers. Reinforcements
come up, the machine guns come into
action, cannon boom, men fall, and
horses die or hobble off the field. 1t is
all sham, yet it is all very exciting.
In the grand finale, cavalryman
escapes by jumping his horse of a
precipice into the river, while search
light keeps it's rays on him. On the
night we were there, the frightened
horse refused to jump, and after several
unsuccessful attempts had been made to
force him over, the platform on which
he stood was tipped down suddenly and
he was dumped off sideways into the
water, from which he presently emerged
llimping. The act as it was done that
time, ought to be cut out, for two rea-
sons first, because it is cruel, and sec
ond, because it is most inartistic finish
to good spectacle, which has no other
feature open to criticism.
An elaborate CONSTRUCTION 10 De louuu
in the middle of the grounds is repro.
duction in wood and staff, on small
scale, of Jerusalem. Eleven acres are
covered by it, and representations of the
Mosque of Omar, the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, the Jews Wailing Place, and
the Via Dolorosa are special features.
:. There are the inevitable patient camels
kneeling ready for riders, and the in
evitable row of shops, with their quaint
ties of sandal wood and olive wood arti
cles, rich fabrics, and all sorts of Orien
tai goods, which the swarthy statesmen
will try to sell you with all the impor
tunity of their race. Native guides star
on tour of the city at ten-minute inter
fvals. You follow one of them, and HI
explains the sights in quaint and inter
esting broken English. In the course o.
the tour he takes the party into an as
sembly room, and after they are seated
explains that the only way OF receiving
compensation which the guides have il
by receiving voluntary contributions
which he is now ready to do. So HI
passes basket, and you put in you
money just as cheerfully as you buy
second razor of street faker after h
has sold you one. This ceremony com
pleted, he requests the party to follow
him again, and when you get outside n
politely informs you that the tour
finished.