Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-15
OF
SAWDUST HERE
Motley Array on Hand
For o Dog Stands
At Valley Fair

HARLINGEN. Nov. 15.-Cosmo-
politics who have rubbed shoulders
with every celebrity in the world.
veterans of sawdust and the shot
dog" side-show bnrkers whose ac-
twiyities began back In the naughty
ninctirs when '.23 Skidoo" was con-
sidcred flip repartec, began arriving
here today for the Valley Mid-Win-
ter Fair. which they will play"
from November "a to December !.
Heroes Of the paddock and of the
tent. Vikings whose cruises have
led them from Iowa 70 New York,
from San Francisco 20 Chicago. from
Fort Worth TO Harrington, the old
timers today began picking out their
concession spaces, erecting tents,
and arranging cookstoyes.
Chewing cigars, the picturesque
cid characters, who know every ''cld-
stager' that has ever played" fair
circuits, exchanged badinage in the
argot Of their kind. Horse handlers,
v no sleep bv their race steede, stood,
sponge In hand. 70 exchange greet
ings with the -hct-dog" man, busy
wit de pups"
why 1 haven't seen you since we
played the Sedalia, Mo-, fair ten
years aeot" was a common greeting.
Stories Of circus riots and of
"cclebs' wolfing buns, Of actresses
and Of clowns, OF famous horses and
Of litzsimmonS, drifted through the
air as the c0ncessionaires exchanged
"reminiscences.
Chief among the old-timers was
A. J. Mason, who has seen Bob Fitz-
simmons, the RUBY Robert OF Fisti-
ana James Corbett. Bob Ingersoii.
Ex-prtsident Mckinley, jean de
Rczke, Lord Aberdeen, former gov
ern0r general Of Canada, who gave
him q $40 present, and even Rich
ard Mansfield, who died seven years
ago.
Twas back in 49, quoth Mason,
Eat the Chicago Worlds Fair. Cheese,
that was an outfit We handled close
70 a million people a day. l was az
one Of the hotels near the grounds
enc night, when Richard Mansfield
came In. He had been playing Ham
lee ard DR. Jckyll TO packed houses.
IL was cold ~ everything that night.
As he entered the elevator, " bunch
who was playing cards and drinking
IN the lobby stared az him.
"He pulled his coat-collar up and
said 70 me out OF n corner Of his
mouth: They stare at sou like a lot
Of Egyptian mummicsi' Eyah. he was
4 bashful mani" Mason chewed his
cigar.
yeah. 7 guess I've met All the
cld-timcrs of any consequence he
continued. II began at the Worlds
Fair and have played practically
every fair in the States. ave settled
dcwn 60 four now. the ones ] con-
slider the best-the Topeka, Kans..
the SedaIia. Mo-. fairs. the Fort
Worth Stock Show. and the Valley
Mid-Winter Fair. This makes my
fourth year here.
@Lt's getting % now that the game
is harder every yea Concessions
cost m0re, there are more people IL
the game, and you've got 10 hustle
twice rs much. Ny busy season at
the fairs Is in the fall. In the win
ter and summer I run n lot az high
way cafes, as meteor travel Is be-
coming denser.
III think I'll settle down here
why last year \ cleaned np $1,000 IN
real estate in the Valley-Rirht bv
the Fair Grounds. mi Just work four
fair from now or. instead Of going
TO New York. 20 San Francisco, and
way across country. After a while
III settle down into the regular
cafe business
Mason, who has played" fairs for
nearly l5 wears. has worked In every
Worlds Fair ever held. he raid. IN
ms estimation. the Chicago Worlds
Fair beats them an.
"But nov I think the Valley rre-
sents the hest opportunity he add
Cd. "Qh. yes, and don't forget 20 tell
EN- that among the notables I have
net Melba Is "a who brings back
the moss pleasant memories w me
she ard Lord A~berdaen.-