Fun, frolic, and frivolity have been the programme in Rushden throughout the whole of this week, and the town has been thronged with visitors in honour of the great event of the year, to wit “The Fearst.” On Monday and Tuesday the factories in the town, for the most part, kept holiday, and from the “'Igh Corsy’” end of the town to “'Igham ‘ill” the streets were thronged with mirthful maids and blushing swains all on pleasure bent, and with one set purpose, viz., to get as quickly as possible and by the shortest route to the “Rec” (Spencer Park), where a host of attractions had been provided by that king of amusement caterers, Mr. Charles Thurston.
The ever-popular motors were, of course, in evidence, and with his customary generosity, Mr. Thurston provided opportunities for our wounded heroes to ride free of charge. In addition to the usual cocoanut shies, which prove as popular as ever, there is a variation of the old-time hoop-la, which affords facilities for one to get rich quickly, so that there is no need for one to brave the dangers of a Channel crossing to get to Monte Carlo. You pay one penny, and all you have to do is to throw a ring on a board and encircle a counter representing half-a-crown, and you get two shillings and sixpence (if you are lucky). If you don’t do it the first time, and it looks remarkably easy, you pay the genial proprietor, who is an encouraging soul, another penny and you have another go. By the time you have spent one shilling you find that your profits are enormous. We actually met one sportsman who had spent twelve pennies and won a shilling, and was as pleased as Punch over it. We saw another gentleman who had spent a whole “bob” and had won – the esteem of the proprietor, who, like his clients, has an eye to the main chance.
However, nearby is a Kaiser Bill, with mouth wide open, as usual, and for “a nimble brown” one may have a go at knocking out one of that “gentleman’s” teeth, and if you are successful, you can have a packet of cigarettes. Who says England is not going to win the war? Ye gods! What a stimulus to recruiting, if only the Government had thought of this idea before bringing in the Compulsory Service Act. “Oh! For a business Government!” We wonder John Bull hasn’t thought of this. Anyhow, this week an opportunity has been provided for old and young, for a time, at any rate, to throw off the cares and trials of the present day, and it is good to have a bit of fun sometimes, however serious the times we live in, and who knows, before the next “Feast” rolls round, the Master Hun will perhaps have got his desserts, and we shall be able to rejoice wholeheartedly.
Tomorrow (Saturday) will be the last day of Mr. Thurston’s stay in this town, so we advise our readers to go down and have a jolly good time. Next week Mr. Thurston is taking his whole “bag of tricks” to Raunds, where everything will be on “The Square.” The fun and frolics will commence there on October 4th, and will finish on the 13th
