The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-11-11
PHILADELPHIA.
Correspondence of the Bedford Gazette.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 4, 1869.

| notes of the Great Fair Tor the Of-
phan's Home. We have visited it
night and day, and we never beheld a
more fairy scene than was presented
i'm Horticultural Hall. AT first you
are almost bewildered by the grand
and beautiful array around and above
| you. Then you are charmed and de-
lighted with the music, the brilliant
streams of light, the surging mass OF
fashion and beauty, and the elegant
handiwork of tender fingers, and cost
ly contributions of kind doners on ev-
cry hand.
We do not know that more generous
and substantial sympathies have ever
been manifested than in this effort
for the Orphans. And with pleasure
we say it. f;either have any had rea-
son to object to the manner in which
it has been conducted. There were
none of the scenes usually enacted at
such places, as lotteries, CHANGING, and
pilfering by ruSe. The frequent ways
| of doubtful propriety, resorted to at
such times for the purpose of getting
off articles, were discarded, and gentle
men could bring ladies there without
being pounced upon by harpies or pull
led to pieces, in the name of charity by
splendid beggars. You could spend
your time land money too, if you
wished) without dread, and go home
with light heart, and, we trust,
! lighter purse. There were four separ-
ate departments Fair room, the
Restaurant, the Art Gallery and Mu-
scum. When you enter the first, your
| eye catches sight of the stage which is
a scene of enchantment. The back
ground is rich Tropical view with
surroundings of rare exOtics and South
American plants, presenting life pict-
ure, such as we often imagine in read
ing books of Oriental lands. In the
| midst of these are the musicians dis
| coursing sweet strains, and the effect
is such as carries you back to the days
of Alhambra And now, on every
hand, are tables loaded with every inn
aginable thing. And if any of your
fair readers can mention an article or
novelty in the fair line which is not
here, we will give them credit for un-
bounded inventive genius. The first
table to the right, as you enter, is a
confection table where you can regale
your taste from sugar plum to a
Dutch cake as large as a wash tub.
Then we have Fancy tables of every
description. One Of silver ware
another of paintings and statuary.
The Floral table looks like
summer garden, and affords pleas
a ut retreat from the crowd. There is
a table from Easton, Rev. Ruthrauff,
pastor, formerly of Schellsburg) and
presided over by his accomplished
daughter. st. Marks Rev. Kunkel-
man, pastor, formerly of Schellsburg1
has large and elegant tables. There is
st. Stevens table REV. Hunt, pastor,
and formerly of Schellsburgl and itisa
gem. What do you think of Schells-
burg now, Mr.. Editor p Well, in a
word, there were twenty four tables
and presided over by one hundred and
twenty-five ladies. As we pass along
we come to Jacobs Well" aud of
course you want drink of that for the
name of the thing. Accordingly you
pay a little Jacob a dime and he
draws you a-gIass Of lemonade Bah!
saws the Mortified Israelite. We come
to the office of the President of the
Fair, Mayor Fox. We congratulate
| him upon its success. "Yes," says he,
''and l am delighted. But to the la
dies belong all the credit-to the la
| dies" We know what we are talking
about when we say that he is sensible
| and right. And just here is a good
place to go off on a panegyric, and say
some fine things about woman; but
| then we hardly have time, and put it
off for another occasion, Our readers
Of the rugged sex can I'LL in for them
! selves. In addition to EastOn, Bethle-
hem and Norristown and Reading were
| also represented. But time would fail
US to tell of the goods, fancy work,
paraphernalia toys, wax-Work, pain
tings and curiosties found on these and
all the tables, 1t was an endless maze
of varied beauty, splendor and richness,
and for two weeks were the ladies con-
stantly and busily engaged getting off
their stock. Much as there was, it
gradually melted away, as snow in the
sun, and that hall. at first crammed
and packed with the work of kind
hands. was left stripped and forelorn.
Down in
THE REsTAURANT
was a grand place for the followers of
Epicurus. The tables night after
night were crowded with hungry
throng. And fitting here and there,
with walters in hand, were scores of
/ PhiIadelphia's beautiful girls. These
pretty waiting maids naturally drew
down cadaverous looking sWells as
well as portly men who devoured oys-
ters and ice cream with sqohsa gusto
as put a glow of eminent satisfaction