The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-10-26

The high school boys of Carp City
looked forward with joyful thoughts
to the coming of flair week. for the
managers always found it necessary
to hire outside assistance. In the
big, broad-shouldered, eager lads the
managers found efficient helpers. They
made use of two at each of the distant
corner gates to sell and collect tickets,
four more for the same work at the
main entrance, and others to aid the
superintendent, some of whom were
women, in the different buildings.
Can you give me anything to do
at the fair grounds next week, sir?"
asked Edward Hicks, waylaying Presi-
dent Ware as he was emerging from
his Office the Saturday afternoon be-
fore flair week.
"Yes," replied Mr. Ware. Il was
just starting out TO find two more boys.
we want couple of lively lads for
odd iobs-to drive nails for the pic
lures in the art department, to tack
up evergreens in the flower house, and
to hang up the crazy-quilts in the wo-
mems building; in short, to do any
thing that needs to be done. Come
out Monday morning"
Edward was all eagerness the first
day, and his industry left nothing to
be desired. Never had the superin-
tendent found more willing or a
more capable helper; never had the
patchwork quilts gone up so speedily
yIiat hnn of Of
tory angles.
Before noon of the second day, how
ever the novelty had worn off, and
Edward began to find his work irk-
some. Every one seemed to want him
at once. He found himself envying
the ticket-sellers, who had only one
thing to do, instead of q miscellaneous
assortment of odd jobs.
Besides, the boy was working with
: a divided mind, for he was very much
interested at that time in Belgian
hares. He had that morning entered
his own for competition. He hoped tc
make enough, between his wages and
premium money, to buy a lolg-coyetei
rife.
In addition to the task Of seeing
that his pets were properly housed and
fed, he found it necessary to pay fire.
quent visits to the bench show, to see
how many other Belgian heres had
been entered. But unfortunately, the
work required of him did not often lie
in that direction.
AS he was returning from one o.
these visits he met the secretary, who
bore in one hand a water pail and in
the other a huge. fiuted pie-no worn
was ever too humble for the public
spirited secretary.
Here Hicks" said the overburdened
officer, go fill this pail at the pumpfor
Pauline Knight while l take this pie
to its proper destination. Because it's
a squash pie, some rattlepate thought
it belonged in the vegetable depart
ment. By the way, / wish you'd take
a hammer and some nails over to the
judges stand today and nail on
board that's been pulled loose on the
west side. We've got fireworks stored
in the room underneath. I'm afraid
somebody'll carelessly throw q match
in there, or if it should happen to rain
, the stuff might get wet. Don't for
get about it,
Il won't, sir" replied Edward, start
ing with the pail toward the pump.
"I'll attend to it right away"
But printed cardboard sign that the
wind had blown down and carried
across from the portion of the ground
devoted to the live stock fell at his
feet, bearing on its scarlet surface in
bold black, capitals this inscription:
FANCY PETS
IN NEAT CAGES.
Edward picked it up and laughed as
he read it.
"I1l play a joke on Dick Brown"
said he. 81 owe him one."
Leaving the pail of water at the
flower house, Edward dashed into the
main Office for hammer and nails. and
, then set off at smart pace for the
ticket Office at the main entrance.
The Office was a crude affair built of
rough boards. The directors meant
when better times care to build a
more imposing one. The opening
through which Dick sold tickets was
guarded by upright laths, making the
place appear not at like a cage. In
deed, the ingenious carpenter who had
built the chicken coops had used the
remaining material to screen the tick
ct Office.
Cautiously approaching, Edward
tackled the gorgeous sign high above
4 his head against the solid board at the
eft of the grating. The joke appealed
sazingly to the crowd, but the uncon-