190 Old Days on the Farm 



TOWN VS. COUNTRY BOYS 



But to get back to this Fair subject again. In 

 early days the farmer's younger sons usually had 

 to drive cattle to the Fall Fair. I recall that I did 

 so, and I remember, too, that the snake-fences 

 along country roads were often out of condition, 

 necessitating numerous swift flank movements to 

 head off a sudden sally on the part of some young 

 heifer that had hankerings to return to the home 

 pasture-field via a cross-country route. The latch- 

 string on the fair grounds gate was always out to 

 a bunch of country lads driving in cattle for ex- 

 hibition and it was the practice of town boys to 

 join in with them, on occasion, and help herd the 

 cattle through and, incidentally, get free admis- 

 sion. I remember that I once had the temerity 

 to suggest to one of these only-for-a-minute cattle 

 drivers that, for the privilege of travelling on my 

 pass he should help me herd for a while in the 

 fair grounds. 



'*Say, you rube, d'ye s'pose I'm goin' have 

 the folks here think I'm one of you 'hawbucks'?" 

 was the manner of his response and putting his 

 thumb to his nose he departed. It not infre- 

 quently happened that there were fights between 

 town and country youngsters over such incidents 

 and a blue forget-me-not under one's eye was 

 looked upon as a badge of courage. 



