NOTES BY A NEW CHUM.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5278, 17 December 1885, Page 2

NOTES BY A NEW CHUM.

[by ovb tbayelling oobbesponpent].

Osfobdshibk, October 30. « YE QLDE ENGLISH FAYRE."

Have you eter been to one? Hare you memories of the crowding, the \osU ling, the blare of steam trumpets, the shrieking of the circos whistles, the clanging of bella, the roll of drams, and the deafening Babe) of tongues, each trying to excel the other in calling atten tion to the wares displayed at the owners' stall? If you have, call them up and accompany me to Banbury. We will pass over the crowded railway carriages—there were fifteen in xay compartment, intended to seat only eight—and imagine ourseirea out of the station, and on the road to the market-place. Long before we reach there, we hare to run the gauntlet of scores of enterprising stall-keepers, who press us to buy " Walnuts, twenty a penny, sir !" " J?ine ooco^nuts, sir !" etc., etc. Rqw we enter the triangular space derated on ordinary market days to the cattle sales, but now such a scene of hurry, confusion, and amusement] with a decided sprinkling of business-—for people come front far a^d, near- to purchase on fair day—that it is difficult to beliere we are iv the quiet town of Ban bury. The whole place is astir j everyone bustling about, and ell apparently bent on enjoying thetnaelres. And there is plenty to ohoose from—hundreds are baring a penny ride on the steam circuses; others patronise the swings; many crowd to see the 2d circus; more to explore the mysteries of Williams' ghost show, where, for the small consideration of 3d, with Id extra for the fyopt seats, you are treated to some vilianous acting and several spirit scenes, manufactured with the aid of reflectors; for some, a boxing contest proves irresistible ; the dozens of rifle galleries attract a liberal share of shootists, and pop, pop, ia heard on all sides ; not a few, especially of the boy genus, •< roll, bowl, or pitch," in the hope of getting eocoanuts; the fancies of others tend in the direction of walking sticks, knives, and pipes; a little further on, there are picture galleries, performing goats and mo.nker,e, and a travel), ing menage^e. Nor hare we yet coma to the cad, for passing over the ionumerable stalls which fill up odd eoraers, we find pne man who ia venturesome enough to exhibit " the only mermaid ever caught," another displays a placard bearing the legend th,at "lively girls from the Fijian islands" may bo seen within, with the addendum "no females admitted/ Th^s '

we pass on, nearly deafened by the noise, perhaps amused by the liveliness of the scene, but, for my own part, bored by the clamour and bustle. This state of affairs, and I have given but an inadequate idea of the con« fusion, is kept up till a late hour of the night; there is plenty of drinking going on, and generally a few fights; the swellmobsman from London or Birmingham, and the less pretending pick-pocket, are also there, and many a silly housemaid bewails the loss of her purse and year's earnings. However, on the whole everybody seems to like it, and the country folk, who perhaps do not go beyond their own village all the year, look, forward to the fair with longings which nothing else will satisfy. : • ;; .: