Billy Whiskers at the Fair

by Frances Trego Montgomery

In the meantime Billy was hurrying off, for he knew he had much to see and do before the close of this, the greatest day of the Fair.

“That silly thing of a hen never surmised that I couldn’t talk. She thought I was just disinclined to share my secret, and would not take her into my confidence. Now I have managed to fix myself up without much outside assistance, I really can’t see the necessity of confessing the box I was in. One often gets into trouble by telling too much, but seldom, if ever, by saying too little. That’s my working policy.”

“It must be growing along toward ten o’clock, if I can judge anything by the sun’s progress. I must at least inspect one hall before lunch and then, after that, the races will begin. I missed them entirely yesterday, and the Duke of Windham says that they are the principal attraction of the Fair. I must be there early to-day in order to secure a good view.”

Now the building Billy was approaching was by far the most pretentious on the grounds. It was fully one hundred and fifty feet long by forty wide, and there were great doors at either end, one swallowing up throngs of people all pressing in, and the other pouring forth an equal number.

“I must get in there by some hocus-pocus,” Billy thought, and he joined in the press.

Up three steps and then he was in a wonderful place. The moment they gained entrance, there was ample room, for the people separated into groups, one going this way and another that, down one aisle and up another, wandering along examining the exhibits.

Down the center of the building were long tables, each bearing its burden of fruit. One section was devoted exclusively to the apple crop, and there were plates upon plates of the wholesome fruit, each specimen with glowing cheeks, the result of careful and prolonged rubbing. Greenings, rambows, pippins, russets, northern spies—every kind was in evidence, all labeled and each species vieing with the other for popularity.

THERE PEEPING FROM BEHIND THE SKIRTS OF THE
SECOND WOMAN WAS A HANDSOME GOAT.

Another section showed pears, hard and still green, to be sure, but great, large pears that promised delicious eating bye and bye when they should be mellow. Guarding each section was a farmer boy, stationed there both to protect the exhibits from pilfering by the sightseers and also to answer the numerous questions they propounded.