American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-08
LETTER NO. q.

LHI"IE4E NO. -.
From our Regular Correspondent
PHILADELPHIA, June 30.
1t is exceedingly difficult to real
ize that 1 have been hero for aim os
two months. The days have driftet
| by like dreams dreams who's
visions are all wonderful; dream
in which we have roved amid al
nations finding their best and fair
est open to our inspection dream
that still surround us fascinatin.
and bewildering. Had there beef
nothing more exhibited than tn
marvels contained in the Mali
Building we might have been con
tent since every day reveals SOM
new attraction; every hour We IN ak
some new discovery. 1 have fount
it almost impossible to settle dow
to any systematic examination ; i
has been pleasanter to wander from
place to place and feast whcreve
fancy led, but yesterday 1 gave thu
Norwegian section two hours anG
found it full of interest.
1t is close beside the italian com
partment, cuIiously enough afford
ing a constant communion between
the two countries. Ono with its
soft southern skies its whey al d.
and its olive groves its rare
inOsafcs and its incessant reminders
of all the romance and poetry its
name suggests; the other in the
far away north, rock ribbed and
mountain crowned its narrow val
leys affording only "a scanty yield to
its frugal peasantry; its coasts
shredded and torn by the encrOach.
ing tide; its history halt fabulous,
aud even its authentic story so eD-
tangled AMID tradition that we know
but little about it.
Its skatds who sang it's sangs
through so many centuries told only
wild tales of war and rapine. We
hear of the Tikings and Jarls, of
Odin and of Thor, and then of the
conquering Olaf, who
|-"preached the Gospel with his sword"
and baptised into the Christian
faith priests of Thor. We follow
his career with eager interest and
when he ''sails to his fate," we resent
his doom. 1t is all told with such
simple words, but we enjoy every
line, and we smile when "King Olaf
hidden by his Queen goes to recover
her estates, sagely saying,
Not ten yoke of oxen
Have the power to draw us
Like q woman's hair
1t matters little whether in Italy
or Norway, the old story is all the
same. Doubtless it is as sweet be-
meath the flashing Aurora of that
strange northernYnight as when re-
peated under the moon of Italy.
The section is enclosed with a
light frame work of unpainted pine
the Norwegian colors are pictures
quely draped and it's most attractive
exhibit placed first. This surprises
us for we had scarcely thought of
artistic work in silver as a Norwe-
gian speciality. The largest case
comes from Christiania and the odd
northern name sounds strange, but
whoever he may be, this Mr.. los
torp certainly unders. ands all the
secrets of the silversmith. In the
Italian section 1 had looked at gold
and gems till my eyes were weary
for tho cases there were crowded
and it rested me to meet the cool
pure whiteness of this wonderful
filagree work lying on lis purple
velvet.
There is but one large piece, and
that may be equalled in other de-
but every woman must
put ont of her memory the tenth
commandment before she looks at
the exquisite garnitures and the
dainty designs SO lavishly display
ed. There are jewel boxes covered
with fairy frOst-wOrk and lined with
gold; there are bracelets and neck
laces and earrings aslwhite as the
light; there are diadems of silver
stars, bouquet holders offrOzen foam
and lovely silver belts made in Sec
tons Of rare workmanship and then |
linked together until the belt is
flexible. Just fancy such q belt
against a black velvet corsage |
Prettier than all the rest arc the
sprays of fern and ivy. Everything
is perfect i'm the delicate ferns you
can see them verning, and note the
curl of every sensitive leafiet, while
the artist has given to the ivy vines
exactly the shine and shape of it's
glossy foliage. a moro exquisite
Dandean for the hair could not be
leviscd.
Another case shows the more
ordinary styles of filagree work
his is very like the GenOese, but
{ you compare it's finish, with that
n the first case you very readily {:
Ietect its imperfectiOHs. A smaller
nclOsure at tho right comes from
he establishment of T.. A. Lis. or I
curse those vowpls have the con- {
mental sound, but just think if I
orwegians were given to joking I
ow much that man would suffer. y
lie shows many beautiful articles S
tasteful design and perfect exc. {,