STRATFORD SHOW.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 20 April 1916, Page 7

STRATFORD SHOW.

?3IZE ESSAY.

| The following essay written by ! “Cyclone,” aged 13yrs and 7 months, ; who is a pupil of the Whangamoiuona School, gained the silver medal as first prize in the essay competition. “A Description of the Stratford Show of 1915,” promoted by the Stratford A', and P. Association. The essay was written at school, and the conditions of entry were that the competitor was j 15 years of age or less, and was attend- ; ing a school where the averi age attendance was 250 or under: On the 2nd December, 1915, I went to the Stratford Agricultural and Pastoral Show. As this was the people’s day, there was a fairly large crowd present, but not as large as last ycai. At about eleven o’clock 1 wont v.p to the grounds, which am situated about one mile away from the railway st.i I tion, by motor car. I had to pay sixpence admission to the grounds and j then I went and saw the Poultry and Dog Section. There were many kinds ' of dogs in there, some of which were I very savage, and growled at the pco- ' pie'who walked past their kennels. It jwas very interesting to watch the poult try, ton, because some of the roosters | would strut up and down their hello 'pens in such a proud way that they would make you laugh. After a while I went and saw the “Queen of the Reptiles.” She was « little girl of eleven years, and was holding some of the live reptiles up by the tail and !#as making them go.:-to sleep. There were preserved snakes, an alligator, a little tortoise, and a duck-hilled platypus there, but several of them were dead. This little queen was also a great sharpshooter, and can shoot lollies out of a man’s hand with the "ride up-side down. At three o’clock I went and saw the “Globe of Death.” When I went m there was a woman dancing on a tightrope, and a clown trying to do the same. Then in came the monkeys lea l, v another clown, and these little creatures would do lots of wonderful things. They would both ride on a dog s hack ; then one of them would jump on to the other’s head and turn a somersault in the air and land on the dog’s back. Thev could also turn somersaults on a tigbt-ropo and could dance. One ot these monkeys was quite savage, ant when being led away it rushed at a man, .and if itp mastey had not held it bv a chain it would have bitten the man with its sharp, litfclo teeth. Alter a while Miss and Master Staig won d each ride a bicycle around the inside of a steel lattice-work ball aiid pas | lone another at intervals. Then Master Staig would loop the loop, several times on a light motor-cycle m this steel lU Whon the “Grand Parade” took place 1 could hardly see the animals for the crowd that was standing around the railing, and I had a great deal of trouble to. see the parade though it did not last very loa ~- Among some of the animals that weio led past were some, hue bulls and draught horses. There was .some good hurdfe jumping, too, and no rider oi hor sc was thrown down, although a few hurdles were knocked over J some of the horses who seemed veu | On the grounds all kinfls t . .9L-j ,ott drinks and luncheons were very dear ! and so wore the sweets and/nuts n one place I heard a man singing out I “Come on. lads; he spores, down, [the Kaiser! Six shots for sixpence bo II went over to where he was stam . t. iand saw, suspended on a piece o i D ito a high post, an old dummy representing Vaisor Bill.” -To hrtng him 1.,„ pt with a wooden ball, and it > did hit that spot down wouW come the dummy »a you have won » There were several soldicis g .tmds, some of whom were couva^ . „r, rl others were on then There was . hand there also, most of the lime, son cr S and marches’ weie pla., ec. i i/.yt thp grounds ■ i flip mde-show s maau prietors of • ; there fairly large prohi. 'would have been a hngci am 1 sent if there was no wal -