Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-13
THE WAKES.
How Whole English Town Takes :
Holiday Together.

| Wakes system of holiday making as ii
obtains in a town like Oldham. 1t
must be with thrill which the ordi-
nary and detached holiday makers
misses that one downs tools as the
| mill hooter announces half-past 5, hur-
ries home 10 scamper through a meal.
grab ones belongings, and be off to
| the station in the certain knowledge
that quite half ones fellow citizens
are doing exactly the same thing. 1t
has suggestions of a throwback to a
simpler, patriarchial conduct of life,
with the city as an enlarged but still
linked-up family. And, curiously. the
same suggestion is preserved when
the system is inspected in operation
and at close quarters. 1t recurs, for
instance, in the railway compartment
when. as soon as the train is pulling
out of oldham Central. the Oldest pas
senger begins to interrogate his fell
lows on their arrangements. No in
Productions or even preliminary inqui-
ries whether the person addressed is a
holiday maker are necessary; the
grizzled, clean-shaven old man sets
straight about the business with the
bluntness of very unquestioned father
addressing his children. "Th' Isle o
Man2" he demanded sternly regard
ing Two young girls. mo. Ireland"
replies one. meekly But the old man
is not to be put off with such vague
ness. "Larne?" he raps out. Ross
lare," replies the same girl again. Il
always went to Larne," remarks her
interrogation, briefly, and the outsider
is left with the uneasy impression that
somehow the two girls have come out
of the cross examination tremendously
The same parental authority is put
forth when a polite youth has risen
(rather unnecessarily TO find room for
a heavily matron. By the
time the lady is seated and her lug
gage hoisted on to the rack, the need
lessness of the youths chivalry is APP
parent in some thin inches of still va
cant seat. His attention is drawn to
the fact by gentle tugs at his coat.
I'D rather stand" he protests, in a
self conscious turmoil. There's plenty
of room," says the matron. contract
ing still further. I'D rather stand,
thank ye.' repeats the unhappy youth,
eyeing the proffered space doubtfully.
And down the youth sits at once and
without murmur
But there are two sides to the
Wakes system as manifested in actual
affairs. One is the holiday making
abroad. the outward and visible side
which next week Will bring the exis-
tence of Oldham Wakes under the no.
tiee of southrons and gentiles in places
as far afield as Torquay. The other is
the inward and domestic business Of
the Wakes fair on ''Tommyfeld."
While glob- trotting Oldham is scatter
/ ing itself over every part of the Unit
ed Kingdom and even sending stray
embas sailors into Paris and Brussels
(the week can be done for four gum
cas- per embassador), stay home
oldham consoles itself on Tommy
field" Now to reach "Tommyfield, :"
after leaving the station, one ascends
a hill. This instruction is of some in
terest since exactly the same method
must apparently be employed to reach
any other point of Importance in Old
ham after leaving the station. Old
ham, like another famous city, lis
builded upon a HILL" and to deter
seem to be beyond the possibilities of
a brief visit. AS one stands in the
market place at the first approach of
! night. with the arc lamps showing
very clear and, white against a pale
sky. one sees the trans grind heavily
up varying slopes toward one CT four
separate sides, AID on the fifth go
toiiing still higher, toward a dusk
| softened distance of square built fac
tories.
s.Tommyfied' itself is approached
by degrees. From the market place one
hears the confused hum of it's roaring
organs, and its brandy-snap and CO.
coanut sellers seem to have overlooked
almost into the main street, But be-
yond these traifickers in indigestible
trimmings lies the permanent. market.
where the real business of buying in
is carried on by gray -shawled women,
their purchases in one hand, their
purses gripped tightly in the other.
Through this region of trim estab-
lishments one comes upon the open
| market square, where the Wakes fair
lies al present, and courageous beings
can agitate their systems by every
| imaginable variety of swing, jolt and
circular movement to every popular
| tune of the hour
The many clubs in Oldham by means
of which the workers of the town
make their savings for the holidays
have during the past few days paid
out some G250,000. OF that sum the
greater part will be expended on trav-
| cling and amusements. During the
Weekend nearly 10 special trains will
| leave the various stations, while all
| through next week there will be day
excursions TO Blackpool Morecambe.
| Southport, the Isle of Man, and other
| places beloved by the Lancashire
workers. Excursion agents report an
exceptionally coed demand for rail-
way tickets and are inclined to believe
| that Wakes week may help them to
recover from the bad times they had
| a year ago, when the railway strike
upset all their calculations. Trains for
holiday resorts in Cornwall and De-
Won, on the South coast, and in Scot
land, and for London and the conti-
nent are confidently expected to be
very well filled, and Throughout yes
1 tprdaV norpipp the paptc had 10 doa