Pun of the Fair

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 520, 24 November 1928, Page 1

Pun of the Fair

CROWDS OF PLEASURE-SEEKERS

The Carnival Spirit at Epsom

BLUE skies, a dense throng of jostling people, bands and prancing horses, the lowing of over-fed and thoroughly bored cattle, and the raucous voices of the “spruikers” declaiming their wares. ... It was People’s Day at the Jubilee Show.

The lure of the crowd is hard to resist. Thousands found it so to-day, and early In the day Campbell Park was more than uncomfortably crowded. For the country cousin it is a day’s outing and an opportunity of meeting many friends. There are also judges’ decisions to be disagreed with, and cattle, crops and politics still provide an unfailing source of debate. Around the prize pens proud owners modestly acknowledged the merit of their beasts and the wisdom of thenbreeding. The animals appeared rather tired of the whole business. Docile, gentle-eyed Jerseys and heavy, sullen-faced bulls turned lazily at their owners’ behest to exhibit their fine points. Palpitating sheep submitted wearily to the handling of countless experts. Being a prize-winner is certainly not the easiest existence. LOUDER THAN LOUD-SPEAKER “Chocolate Alley,” in which are to be found the nomads of the shows —the tent-dwellers whos existence appears to be divided between folding and unfolding their tents and stealing silently away—proved a big attraction.

Side-show men with shows varying in merit from indifferent ±p bad, held continual sway. Even the very loudspeaker’ which blared at intervals oyer the ground failed to silence them—indeed high tribute to their vocal One, who possessed a ready fund of wit, implored all and sundry to “hear the wild and ferocious pigmy sing his weird jungle song.” An equally ferocious war darice to the rather plaintive tune of “I Want to be Happy,” play e 2 on a gramophone, apparently satisfied audiences, who streamed in and out throughout the day. Another claimed vast hypnotic powers. His girl assistant fell an easy victim; a bit too easy to satisfy a “credulous” spectator who advised him to try it on someone else. “DID IT AT HAMILTON” The “Professor,” who was attired, not too appropriately considering the heat of the day, in a dinner suit and soft shirt, promptly took up challenge and offered to put the fluence” across his interjector. The “credulous” one agreed and he was followed into the tent by a large portion of the crowd. But it is hard to satisfy everybody. TheVe was ° ne man who certainly was not. Try it on someone else,” he shouted from the crowd, “he did that for you at Hamilton.” People who visit all the shows in a district are sometimes a problem to side-show men. Small boys, and they were not scarce, stood in open-mouthed wonder and admiration at “strong men” and blonde ladies who sold all manner of novelties useful and otherwise. A challenge to inspect a bloodless surgical operation was also thrown out to the British Medical Association, but was not accepted. . . The B.M.A. seemed curiously indifferent. It was probably not very clever, and often not even amusing, but the crowd appeared to enjoy it. After all, it was part of the “fun of the fair.” (Continued on Page 13)