A WILD-WEST COUNTY FAIR
That same night while at supper, Mrs. Carew asked her guests if they had
ever visited one of the western celebrations.
"Polly says she has, but we have never seen one," replied Anne, eagerly.
"Well, Oak Creek is going to have its annual fair, or celebration, two
weeks from Monday. It generally lasts for three days, and they have all
sorts of stunts there. You-all must be _sure_ to go."
"The Boss says we can have a day off and go, too!" declared Jim.
"I wish it would happen to come on the day you girls go," added Kenneth,
anxiously.
"We'll try and plan it that way. Maybe we will go to each day's show,"
quickly said Eleanor.
"Maybe you can find out from Mrs. Carew what day her husband thinks we
can have," ventured Jim, in a whisper.
Eleanor nodded; then she turned to John and told him what they wanted
to know from Mrs. Carew.
Thus it was learned that the survey Crew was to be given Tuesday _and_
Wednesday--as it would take almost half a day to travel to Oak Creek,
and another half day to get back to camp. The boys gave a wild hurrah
when they heard this good news, and immediately planned to start from
camp directly after midnight Monday so as to enjoy a full day at the
fair.
After good-bys were said, and the Pebbly Pit party were ready to start
on the homeward trail, Jim whispered to Polly and Eleanor, "Now don't
forget! Ken and I have a date with you two at the Fair, Tuesday and
Wednesday."
And the girls laughingly promised to make a note in their social
calendar book.
The two weeks intervening between the visit to Buffalo Park, and the
celebration at Oak Creek, passed rapidly, for John and Tom had a new
excursion planned for each day. Of course, Polly and Eleanor were
members of these picnics, so they almost forgot about the fair until a
day, or so, before the time.
"We-all attend the fair, you know, and take our camp outfit with us,"
said Mr. Brewster, at supper on Sunday evening.
"Aren't there any restaurants where we can dine?" asked Barbara.
"Well, there is Snake-Bill's place where you get hash piled up with your
pie and odds or ends, all on an inch-thick dish. Then there is the Rocky
Mountain Cafie--as every one calls it,--but ladies are not welcome,
there. Neither of these places will appeal to you girls, Ah'm sure,"
explained Sam Brewster.
"Oh, no! They have no idea of what it is like, Sam," declared Mrs.
Brewster, holding up both hands in horror at the very idea.
"Will we start early in the morning?" now asked Eleanor, wondering if
they would be on time to keep their engagements.
"Oh, we will leave here about one or two o'clock," replied Mr. Brewster,
nonchalantly.
"One or two!" cried Barbara, aghast, thinking he meant A. M.
"Yes, then we will arrive about four or five. By the time we have the
tents pitched and everything in tip-top working order, it will be
suppertime. There won't be so much going on the first night, you know,
but we will be there for Tuesday's early games."
"Oh, my goodness! You don't mean we shall camp over night?" exclaimed
Barbara.
"Of course! We could never travel back and forth each day, as it is a
long ride and tough roads for the horses to pull a heavy ranch-wagon,"
returned Mr. Brewster.
"I don't see why you won't have automobiles out here! It would not cost
much to have a Ford, or some other cheap affair, but the convenience and
time you'd save--my!" said Barbara.
"An auto! Can you see us driving a car over such awful roads as there
are for miles around Oak Creek? To say nothing of the wild trails that
go to Pebbly Pit and other far-off ranches," said John.
"Whenever there is a rain, or in winter, the roads are impassable, you
know, Bob," added Mrs. Brewster. "I'd love to have a car just for fun,
but there is no pleasure in riding it around the farm where I know every
foot of ground. And excepting on our own land, there are no decent
roads."
"I never thought of that!" admitted Barbara.
"So we make the best of things, and ride to the fair in a wagon that
will hold a village of people," concluded Polly.
"I think it will be heaps of fun to camp right in town where crowds of
other folks are camping," said Eleanor, giggling.
"It is. You never know who your next-door neighbor is going to be,"
laughed Polly. "Once, we camped right next to a horse-thief who was
wanted by the sheriff. My, but we had an exciting time when he crawled
into mother's bed and hid!"
"Polly! You forgot to say that this happened while we were at the fair
and he was driven from his own tent," hastily added Mrs. Brewster, while
the others laughed heartily at Polly's omission.
At these yearly events, every workhand on a ranch went to the fair,
whether the cattle starved or not. But with Mr. Brewster's help, it was
so planned that half of them went from Monday morning until Tuesday
noon, and then the other half went from Tuesday noon until Wednesday
night. In this way each side had plenty of time to spend their
hoardings, and to drink all the "Sure Death" whisky that could be had in
Oak Creek.
The great ranch-wagon rumbled away Monday noon, and a gay party it
carried, too. The tents were tightly rolled and tied to the sides, while
rolls of bedding and hampers of food were stacked under the high front
seat. Hard wooden seats were clamped to each side for the travelers to
sit upon.
Tom Latimer and John kept every one laughing, so that no one complained
of the uncomfortable seats that seemed to grow harder the nearer the
travelers came to Oak Creek.
Then the party drew near their objective. But such a different Oak Creek
from its usual sleepy appearance! The entire countryside, outside of the
settlement proper, was dotted with canvas tents, and campers were
running back and forth. Just to the right of the town stood a vast tent,
like a circus canvas; and in line with it were several smaller ones.
"That larger one is where all the exhibits are shown and where the
contests take place, such as eating pan-cakes, shoveling coal, testing
mining tools, and other tame games," explained John.
"Do they bust the bronchos there, too?" asked Eleanor.
"No, that, and the trick riding, is done out in the ring," replied Mr.
Brewster.
While the men pitched the tents and carried the folding cots from the
wagon, Sary unpacked her meager cooking outfit, and Mrs. Brewster
arranged the hampers in a safe place in her tent. Eleanor and Polly
stood watching the crowds of incoming ranchers drive by, all on the
lookout for a good camping-site.
"I do hope the boys from Buffalo Park will be in time to find a place
near us," whispered Polly.
"Yes, but it looks now, as if there wouldn't be an inch of room left
after to-night," returned Eleanor.
Mr. Brewster then joined them. "Well, girls, want to go with me to have
a look over the fair-grounds? To-morrow you will be escorted by younger
chaps, I suppose; but they won't be able to explain things any better
than I can."
"Oh yes, Daddy! Let's go," cried Polly, eagerly.
As it was all new to Eleanor, she also wanted to go, so the three found
a way between the tents that had sprung up, since they drove in from the
trail and had selected their own site.
Every one was merry and good-natured, and many a joke was exchanged
between people who might be master and servant at home, but at the
Celebration, they all were equals.
Mr. Brewster pointed out where the races would take place, and where the
wild horse-breaking generally was held. He told Eleanor that a purse of
five hundred dollars was always made up by collections, and given to the
man who was able to tame the worst outlaw horse of the year.
Then the girls were taken to the booths where refreshments were served.
Sam Brewster ordered three ice-cream cones and three sodas. He also
bought two boxes of candy for the girls.
"Let's have ice-cream sodas instead of soda and cones," suggested
Eleanor.
"They can't mix ice-cream sodas, out here," explained Polly. "So we buy
cones and mix our own when we want a New York drink."
Eleanor laughed. "Isn't that funny! It's just as easy!"
So they emptied their cones into their soda water and stirred the drink
with a spoon. But Eleanor learned that the western people would do
certain things their way, and no one could convince them that it was
much easier to accomplish the task a different way.
The cots were hard as rocks but every one fell asleep without complaints
that night, and in the morning the mad babel of sounds roused the
campers without alarm clocks. As Tuesday was a great day at the fair, no
time was lost by stealing an extra wink. Breakfast out of the way, the
entire party started for the Fair Grounds.
"I wonder where the boys are?" whispered Polly.
"We'll never find them in this mob," returned Eleanor.
"They said we were to meet at the Bridal Contest--but where is that?"
wondered Polly.
"Let's ask Tom Latimer; we'll tell him Jim is going to be there at ten
o'clock."
Tom heard the girls and laughed: "But why at the Bridal Contest tent?
Why not at the coal-heaving contest?"
"Perhaps the boys thought there wouldn't be such a crowd at the Bridal,"
ventured Polly, guilelessly.
Tom and Eleanor laughed, and the former said: "Well, I'll see that you
two get there in ample time for the Bridal."
Long before ten o'clock, John and Anne had disappeared, and that left
Tom to the sweet mercy of Barbara. He clung desperately to Polly and
Eleanor until it was time to take them to the Bridal Contest, and then
he begged Mrs. Brewster to take care of Barbara while he was absent with
the girls.
Mrs. Brewster understood that Tom did not care for the young lady's
company, and she said in a low tone: "I would feel easier if I thought
those four young people had a sensible head to look after them in this
great multitude, Tom."
Tom looked at her, but she seemed innocent of any hidden meaning; so he
replied fervently: "If you will tell Polly this, I will be only too
happy to be the 'head' they need."
So Tom really acted as "Official Guide" that day and, incidentally, paid
all the bills for the young celebrators. This suited Jim and Kenneth,
all right, as they were puzzling how to make a big splash in the puddle
before these two girls, and yet escape bankruptcy.
The Bridal Contest was a strange sight. Any couple who wanted to marry
in haste, could secure a special license at this booth and be married
forthwith. And to every pair so married, the managers of the fair
presented a twenty-dollar gold piece, that more than defrayed the costs
of the ceremony. To say the Bridal Booth was a failure, would be rank
envy and jealousy on the part of any single cow-boy or woman that
attended the fair--and failed in securing a mate.
The girls watched while three pairs were married, and in each case, the
bride was a stranger in Oak Creek, while the groom was a newly-fledged
rancher who needed a housekeeper worse than he needed his freedom.
As the other contests were scheduled for eleven, the four young people,
following after their Official Guide, went the rounds. Not one sight
missed them that day, and they turned weary bodies towards the camp that
night, thinking of but one thing--the cot-beds that awaited them.
Wednesday was the day when the races took place. Not only the broncho
busting, but horse-racing and other events of the kind. A novelty was
offered this year, by having several Nebraska cow-boys race on steers.
The people for twenty miles around Oak Creek, had seen bull fights, wild
steer breaking, and all sorts of horse-racing, but never had they
witnessed a steer race.
It proved very exciting, as the men who rode the animals were gayly
trapped out and made a great noise when the race started. Their shouting
and wildly waving hats, added no little to the frenzy of the steers. One
animal tripped and threw his rider, and another balked outright and
began to stampede. Finding he could not dislodge the encumbrance that
clung to his back, he suddenly threw himself and rolled.
Every one screamed, but the rider was alert and the moment the steer
touched the earth, he was up on his feet, bowing and smiling. A wild
cheering greeted him, but he had no claim to the prize, as that went to
the rider who won the race.
Polly and Eleanor became well-acquainted with Jim and Kenneth during
those two days at the fair, and when it was time to say good-by, the
boys felt as if they were losing two old chums.
"We have to ride across the desert to-morrow, you know," explained Jim,
regretfully.
"That's so! where will you work next?" asked Tom.
"From Rabbitt's Ear Inn to the Highway," said Kenneth.
"And when will you be back again? When can you come to Pebbly Pit again
to visit us?" asked Eleanor.
"We may not be there again this summer, as our work now leads away from
this section. In fact, the Boss says, if the cold does not come too
early to interfere, he wants to finish his survey all along the other
side of the desert, this year," explained Kenneth.
"Oh pshaw! then we won't have any more good times," said Eleanor,
poutingly.
"But we will when we all meet in New York," reminded Jim.
Tom looked from one to the other, for here was news!
"Never mind that, Tom--it's a secret with us!" laughed Eleanor.
"I'm sure it must be, for John never said a word about it to me. And if
you girls were going with Anne Stewart, he would have told me," replied
Tom.
"You know the old adage, 'Plans of mice and men go astray,' but it did
not say 'Plans of girls and mice.' So my plan will come out fine,
you-all wait and see!"
"Yes, I reckon we _will_ wait!" laughed Polly, incredulously.