THE ANIMALS^ FAIR. 



PART II— THE FAIR. 



Days and weeks of busy preparation 

 rolled around and promptly at the ap- 

 pointed time the Animals' Fair opened 

 in splendor. 



A large football field had been secured 

 for the show, and a striking sight met 

 the eyes of curious men, women and 

 children, who crowded through the gates 

 on the opening day. 



Two immense St. Bernard dogs had 

 been appointed gatekeepers, and the hu- 

 man crowd were uncommonly respectful 

 and subdued as they paid their entrance 

 fee of a handful of grain or a juicy bone 

 and passed these representatives of ani- 

 mal law. 



The first thing to attract the eye as 

 one entered the Fair was a large band 

 stand which was occupied b\' a band of 

 monkeys in red coats and caps, who 

 made up in quantity what their music 

 lacked in quality, and went through their 

 performance with a decorum unexcelled 

 by more musical organizations. 



' The monkeys found themselves more at 

 home in their booth, which was near 

 the grand stand, the entrance fee to 

 which was a small sack of peanuts. Here 

 the delighted human audience watched 

 an unequaled show of daring rope and 

 trapeze performances, of acrobatic feats 

 which none but "four-handed" artists 

 were able to accomplish, and of comical 

 antics such as only monkeys can go 

 through. The excited children screamed 

 with laughter and showered peanuts 

 upon the performers, who, following 

 their instincts, forgot their scheduled 

 program and joined in a wild rush and 

 squabble over the unexpected treat. Such 

 little episodes were soon over, however, 

 and the entertainment and forgotten dig- 

 nity were resumed together. 



Next to the monkeys' booth was one 

 occupied by geese, ducks and peacocks, 

 and wa^ one which deserves especial 



mention. It was elaborately decorated 

 with garlands of feather flowers dyed in 

 all the colors of the rainbow, hung 

 against a background of snowy white 

 feathers. On each side stood a peacock 

 with gorgeous tail outspread, showing to 

 lovely effect against the white walls be- 

 hind them. Pillows and cushions of 

 softest feathers, festoons of snowy down 

 trimmings, quills and wings and breasts 

 for millinery purposes, feather boas, 

 feather brushes and dusters, quill pens 

 and quill toothpicks were displayed to 

 greatest advantage and offered for sale 

 for a small sum of wheat or corn. 



The hogs came next with a large and 

 elaborate display, which included strings 

 of sausages and Dewey hams, huge glass 

 jars of snowy lard, hams and bacon put 

 up in fancy ways, and piles of canned 

 pork and deviled ham. In another part 

 of the booth were brushes of all kinds 

 made from hog bristles, soaps manufac- 

 tured from otherwise unsalable parts of 

 hog anatomy, saddles and other leather 

 goods made from the hides, and — in a 

 conspicuous position — a great pile of in- 

 flated pigskin footballs, which caught the 

 eye of every schoolboy who came near 

 the booth. 



''Young man," grunted one of the 

 boothkeepers to a boy who was exam- 

 ining this pile of balls, ''young man, 

 never despise a hog nor deride him for 

 his slowness. There is nothing more 

 lively than a pigskin when properly in- 

 flated. It is a thing for the possession 

 of which the representatives of the larg- 

 est colleges are proud to contend, and 

 he is the hero of the day who carries 

 the pigskin to a winning touchdown. 

 Why, college students will leave their 

 books behind them, will cast aside the 

 cultivation of their brains for the glory 

 of chasino- the pigskin over a muddy field. 

 They will sacrifice life itself in its pur- 



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