People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1893 — GOSSIP OF THE FAIR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOSSIP OF THE FAIR.

Borne Scattering' Notes from the Columbian Exposition. Amusing Things Seen and Heard In the Crowdi-An IrUhmnn’s Cordial Reception on the Warship—Dumb Show on the Plaisance. [Special Chicago Correspondence. 1

10 one who has his eyes and ears about him there is more than a little amusement to be derived from a study of the throngs of sightseers about the highways and byways of the world’s fair. Pause but a

moment where you will, and if some* thing doesn’t turn up to afford you at least a smile something is wrong. It is either a muggy day or you are out of sorts, it is the weather or yourself that is to blame, for the fun goes on unceasingly for those who are in the mood to •njoy it There are numerous stories and jokes In circulation about the queer actions of out-of-town visitors at the fair, some of which are very laughable. For instance, the one about the man who “took in” the “exit” It is said that the individual referred to caught sight of the sign above one of the exits from the fair grounds, and, not being up on the definition of the word, supposed it to indicate some sort of a side show. He accordingly entered the "exit,” and it cost him fifty cents to get back into the grounds. This story smacks just a little of the improbable, but othesp equally as amusing are told which are vouched for by reliable people. A certain hardware merchant from a country town was doing the fair and was looking for a mammoth stove in the Manufactures building about which he had heard a great deal He tramped about hntil he was too tired to stand alone, so he leaned up against what he thought was a post, for a moment’s rest. Just then a guard came by and the merchant inquired the whereabouts

of the great stove. Pointing 1 to the post against which the merchant was leaning, the guard said, with a sniff of contempt: “That’s it you’re leaning against” Looking up, the merchant discovered that the supposed post was one of the legs of the stove, which towered above him. Of course, the story of the woman who inquired which building the lagoons were in has passed into ancient history along with that of the man who was curious to know where they kept the “Plaisance.” But there is a new one on a fellow who visited the Wooded island the other day. He mistook the little glass globes which are used in the illumination of the island for cuspidores and was putting one of them to use when halted by a guard. A jolly Irishman was visiting the naval exhibit one day recently and was greatly interested in the warship, which evidently was an entirely new thing to him. At every step he interrogated the guards or sailors as to the uses of different objects about the ship. He descended into the “basement” of the vessel, as he termed it, and was much pleased at the treatment he received at the hands of the sailors, who in turn thoroughly enjoyed his dense ignorance of things nautical. Pat was much interested in the imitation cannon which occupy the great turrets of the warship, and when told that they were only “dummies” replied: “Ah ha! Dhey do be ony to sckare dhe inimy, I shuppose.” This same warship, by the way, is a very interesting feature of the great exposition, and is much frequented by visitors from inland precincts who have never had an opportunity of visiting the large cities of the seacoast Everything on the ship is spic-and-span, and every detail of naval life is demonstrated by the crew who are assigned to its charge. There is more fun to be had in Midway Plaisance than in all the rest of the fair put together. A recent order of the fair management, to the effect that side-show oratory to attract patrons must be abandoned, caused great consternation for a few days; but the ingenious foreigners have surmounted the obstacle very cleverly. Instead of shouting themselves hoarse they now employ dumb sho'w or pantomime to engage the attention of the public.

The recommenders or Lawlers of ths various theaters, bazars, etc., now beat upon drums, ring bells, make signs shake rattles or rap on their stands to attract notice, which once gained they hold by all sorts of nonsensical gestures. grimaces and antics, all calculated to lure the sight-seers into their shows. Judging from the crowds which pour into these places the order of the management has not caused any abatement of business. The chilly weather of the past few days has had a bad effect on the children of the orient, who are accustomed only to warm weather and sunshine. It can be seen that many of them are suffering, for they look blue and glum. The other evening in the Cairo street a huge ball of blankets and rugs was observed perched upon a chair at the entrance of one of the bazars. Upon being poked the ball moved sufficiently to reveal the shriveled features of a swarthy son of the Sahara who was trying to keep himself warm with a cigarette which he was smoking under his wrappings. When asked what ailed him he pointed outdoors and in a piteous voice shivered out: “Oh, c-o-o-o-l-l-dl” Many of the Turks, Arabians and other natives of the far east are packing up and departing for their distant homes, as they are afraid they will die if they remain longer. Some of the camels have died from the effects of the climate, and those that are left look as if they were willing to go to the cxmel heaven at any moment. Judging from the amount of annoyance they have suffered at the hands of merciless riders, they could not well feel otherwise. It is enough to make any sensitive camel want to die to have to carry about such specimens of wrong font humanity as have daily hounded these patient animals along the Cairo street

ON THE BATTLE SHIP.