Considering that probably it was his first fair, and that there were numerous temptations in the shape of fat pigs with ears delicious to bite, and cows and sheep just prime to be chased, and countless farmers’ dogs ripe to be taught town manners, he behaved very well indeed.
He and Ned covered the entire exhibition. They did not miss a single item, although there were a number of things for which they did not care a bit. They inspected the live-stock pens (where the pigs and cattle nearly drove Bob to distraction); they traversed machinery hall, and poultry hall, and all the other halls; and in particular they explored the hall of arts. Here, worming their way through the crowd they gazed with watering mouth—at least, Ned’s mouth watered, and Bob’s still dripped in memory of the porkine ears elsewhere—upon strained honey, and rich cheeses, and jellies and preserves and cakes and doughnuts and cookies and other marvels into which ambitious good-wives had put their whole hearts. Ned sought this building several times; he had vague hopes that in some way he might encounter the judging committee, and be invited to help “taste.”
A close second in interest to this display was that of floral hall, where the flowers themselves were rivaled in hues by apples and peaches and plums and cherries and pears and grapes, in luscious pyramids.
These two halls were extraordinary places for getting up an appetite!
However, one did not need to depend upon the stock pens and the various “halls” for one’s entertainment. Outside there was endless variety, and the air was constantly athrill with excitement. All day a throng of shows in tents did a loud and urgent business, inviting the people far and near by banjo and gong and word of mouth to come in and see snakes and wild men and bearded women and giants and dwarfs, and the like, whose wondrous figures were outlined in gay colors upon the canvas without. These shows formed a long street, lined with the pictured marvels, and alive with shouts of:
“Hi yi yi yi! Walk in, walk in! Great free show, only ten cents, half a dime!”
“Right this way! Everybody! Come everybody! Biggest show for the money in the world!”
“Stop! Stop! Stop! Don’t miss it! We are the people! A whole circus for only ten cents!”
Every morning there was a parade around the race track of prize-winning animals, where horses pranced, bulls roared defiantly, and donkeys brayed and kicked.
Every afternoon at one o’clock there was a balloon ascension; and at two o’clock began trotting and running races.