The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-30
From the Craftsman Magazine.

OF their HeluS anu ldlu them IN
colorful groups upon unhineed barn
doors temporarily placed upon boxes
or barrels under the shade Of spread
inc elms. Mammoth pumpkins fill
ed the throne seat as it were. by
right of their kingly size and color,
and we're eaudily attended by a
court of golden squash. silver onions
scarlet peppers. pink carrots. blood
red tomatoes, purple beets and all
the gay company of harvest land.
A clown turned cart-wheels
before a hCt-sausage stand. attract
ing dimes from hungry folk and Civ
ing generous sauce of joke and cheer.
Other stands displayed ginger ale
and fresh cider. homemade candy.
popcorn and peanuts. One man sold
whistles and canes. another buggy
whips and woman displayed her
"hand-painted" pictures and some
pink stocking pineushions with for
get-me-nots painted on them.
There were pleasant meetings
with old friends. introductions to
new babies. kindness and hospitality
to the few strangers present.
Vehicles of every description UNI
loaded before the band stand. which
xraS e;p,rIx- n o,.o,,p Of L;to;,a,, .I,a;,.o
upon the grass in the shade of state
" elms. One phaeton produced a
man. his wife and baby. two chill
dren, coop with a greatly excited
fancy rooster. two red cabbages. a
mammoth turnip, peck measure Of
potatoes and a small bag of feed.
n little boy with wagon made
from a soap box Enthusiastically of
his own construction brought huge
pumpkin of his own raising labeled
Mr.. Tommy Birch pompkin'' which
later ~ the day received the first
prize.
"Singles" and doubles" raced up
and down the main street. for there
was no other track. Cattle and
oxen were also led up and down this
one avenue. passing slowly before
admiring friends and neighbors.
Three spirited teams We'd with one
another in pulling heavy leads. y
stone Eoat was loaded with stones.
then men were added to the load un-
I'll seventeen stood upon it; vet the
splendid horses pulled il easily.
At four clock the band played
the national airs and everyone be-
gan to gather together their chill
dren and turnips, their cows and
their chickens Crook-necked squash.
huge beets. Irish Cobblers."
''Green Mountains. rosy apples,
delicate cakes. crystal jellies were
claimed by the lucky prize winners
and presented to favored friends. \
wagonload of exhibitors drawn by
oxen proudly led away the prize
donkey. Slow-moving oxen swung
into the long read home-the fair
that flourished but for a day was
over.
But how far-reaching was the eff
feet of it. How impossible to gather
statistics as to the good that it did!
How difficult to measure the inspira-
ton that the meeting quickened in
each life.
Men had talked together as they
walked among the cattle. exchang-
ing bits of wisdom gained by per-
sOnal experience in the feeding and
raising of stock. They had compar-
ed notes about rotation of crops.
cream separators. spray for apple
trees; talked over the country school
the con ING election. the enforcement
of rural laws. the need of better
roads.
Women had exchanged receipts
with friends who lived at a distance
and seldom met except at the yearly
fair. had told of labor-saving devices,
simple methods of preserving, easier
and better ways of washing. and had
taken great pride and pleasure in
the attachments of their children.
The picture of goodwill. of loyal
ty. mutual helpfulness.- universal
good-nature. generosity. contagious
happiness. the simplicity of it ALL
no ugly criticism CT jealousies as to
prizes. but rejoicings and jokes and
the rare carnival pleasure of it
Will always be a treasured one.
And we wish that every COM
munity might have each year just
such al unpretentious merry-makine
meeting. free from the vulgar side
shows. fswkers of useless articles
tricks of city sharps, ill-feeling and
rivalry of the usual large county
fair.