he great day of the fete was Sunday, October 5 for on that day the king
went out to the fair-ground, and distributed the prizes to the owners of
the best horses, and, as they appeared to me, of the most ugly-colored
bulls. The city was literally crowded with peasants and country people;
the churches were full all the morning with devout masses, which poured
into the waiting beer-houses afterward with equal zeal. By twelve
o'clock, the city began to empty itself upon the Theresien meadow; and
long before the time for the king to arrive--two o'clock--there were
acres of people waiting for the performance to begin. The terraced bank,
of which I have spoken, was taken possession of early, and held by a
solid mass of people; while the fair-ground proper was packed with a
swaying concourse, densest near the royal pavilion, which was erected
immediately on the race-course, and opposite the bank.

At one o'clock the grand stand opposite to the royal one is taken
possession of by a regiment band and by invited guests. All the space,
except the race-course, is, by this time, packed with people, who
watch the red and white gate at the head of the course with growing
impatience. It opens to let in a regiment of infantry, which marches
in and takes position. It swings, every now and then, for a solitary
horseman, who gallops down the line in all the pride of mounted civic
dignity, to the disgust of the crowd; or to let in a carriage, with some
overdressed officer or splendid minister, who is entitled to a place in
the royal pavilion. It is a people' fete, and the civic officers enjoy
one day of conspicuous glory. Now a majestic person in gold lace is set
down; and now one in a scarlet coat, as beautiful as a flamingo. These
driblets of splendor only feed the popular impatience. Music is heard in
the distance, and a procession with colored banners is seen approaching
from the city. That, like everything else that is to come, stops beyond
the closed gate; and there it halts, ready to stream down before our
eyes in a variegated pageant. The time goes on; the crowd gets denser,
for there have been steady rivers of people pouring into the grounds for
more than an hour.

The military bands play in the long interval; the peasants jabber in
unintelligible dialects; the high functionaries on the royal stand are
good enough to move around, and let us see how brave and majestic they
are.

At last the firing of cannon announces the coming of