The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-16
The Centennial Exhibition Of Collins.


tennial Exhibition. II is the large and
even brilliant display Of collins of native
manufacture. This well BELTS the great
Worlds Fair held at the Centennial city
wherein dwells the far-famed bard of the
shroud and the sarcophagus, g. WASHING
TON CHILDs, A. NJ.
The circumstance suggests a fact OF po-
litical economy which we do not remem-
Der to have seen stated by SAY, ADAM
SMITH. Mill, BENTIIAM, our own WELLS
and CAREY, or any other writer In that
fascinating science. Crops may fail, stocks
may rise and fall, big bonanzas may over
stock the market with silver so that the
metal ,ic quarter shall be worth less than
the paper stamp, even gold may some day
be mined like coal or iron ore, but the
demand for collins will always continue
steady, with the possible chance OF brisk
| business growing out of war or pestilence.
The coffin tranlc, both wholesale aud re-
tail, IL therefore one into which n man
may go with the certainty of securing Gus
toners. Why, then, should not this ia
vored industry have representation at the
Centennial Exhibition. especially rs that
marvellous collection of the achievements
at the city which derives imperishable re-
nown rs the home of tho elcgac laureate,
| G. WASHINGTON CuILDs, A. M
A French traveller who wrote of us in
the epigrnmmatio way which the Gallo
mind affects, contributing, if we remem-
Der rightly. TO the Paris Review of the
Two Worlds, spoke OF our shop-window
display of collins as one OF the most striking
| features OF our new and fruitful civ liza
ton. The simple and unpretending Prince
DE JoINvILLE, when he accompanied his
nephews, tho Count DE PARIS and the
Duke DE CHARITIES, during their brief but
highly creditable service IA aides to Gen.
| MCCLELLAN, was much astonished to see
| in the rear of every battle field the frank
| display of the embalmer's flag, and to OBJ
serve the cynical Indifference with which
the troops marched past the suggestive
shop TO arrange themselves in line of bat
tie and create deadly demand for his
science and skill. When, after the disas-
trous battle OF Gaines Mills, fought on
nearly the same ground as the subsequent
frightful day of Cold Harbor, about two
thousand wounded were lying under can
vas or on the bloody turf in the drzzling
rain, while the sky was lit up with the
fires kindled to burn our abandoned
stores, over against the field where these
| poor sufferers lay, and which at midnight
| was, with its unfortunate occupants, to be
| yielded to the enemy, stood the work.
shop OF the embalmer, and next his
coor was high pile of pine board
collins, directed. il large letters to the
friends of tue inanimate subjects OF
that CHASTITY art. 1t was sight to impress
a thoughtful mind, aud might have begot-
ten in n genius the idea of great poem
| which should depict the actualilIes OF war.
Yet no one seemed to mind n, or the sur
goons either rs they pursued their painful
| but humane work close by. When the
Army Of the Potomac, not knowing with
or they were tending, after days OF fight
ing, found themselves on the ridge Of Nal
vern Hin, aud compelled again to meet the
furious onset OF that Incompatible infan-
try of the ARMY Of Northern Virginia, and
thus TO win what along with Gettysburg
and Antietam was one OF the more con-
spicuous battles OF the war, Gen. McCLEL-
Lam sat in the house at that lovely spot
serious and thoughtful, while other apart
ments OF it were occupied by the sweating
surgeons; and from his window he saw
the French princes squeezing their lemons
in the miasmatic water, and heard them
talking of their early meditated departure
from the country. The embalmers had not
been able to meet the exigeucies OF the
hurried Seven Days Battles, but they soon
appeared at HGrrson's Landing and Of
fered their expert services to those who
might have need OF them.
We fancy the osteutatious presence OF
these gentlemen with our armies and their
manifest desire to profit by slaughter, was
something new In the history Of war. Al
least so it appeared to the foreign observ-
ers who saw the extent, display, and sue
cess OF their industry. A French army
would undoubtedly have suffered de-
morallzatlon at the sight OF the embalm-
er's Haunting signs. Rat our troops whistled
rs they marched by them to enter the ad.
vanced trenches and encounter the bullets
which made profitable the industry. Wal
with us was an exceedingly practical bust
ness, and our typical soldier was the i'm
passive GRANT.
Bearing these facts in mind, we are moi
surprised that the coffin industry claims
large space in our Centennial Eek hibition
1t is not pleasant to look at coffi ms, how
ever wonderful they may be as rriumphs
Of the undertaker's art; but masmuch II:
we are bound some day to lie In them, W,
suppose we ought not to object TO thei
display as products Of handicraft. Indu
bitably they have right TO command &
show in an Exhibition to which the NOR
tuary bard, G.. WAsHNGToN CHILDs, AN.
lends the assistance Of mis- funeral muse
aud which he makes memorable by hi
sable-hued social entertainments. Art il
long but life is short
Our MayOrial Don Quixotc and Hi
Sancho Panza.