Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-04-20

profitable part of his kingdom was then
lost, but
"A pebble in the streamet scant
Has turned the course Of many = river:
dew-drOp on the infant plant
warped the giant oak forever"
and Mr.. Bull, as he reflects upon what
might have been, can only wish that he
had sooner learned that it is not al
ways wise to rule with an iron rod.
Arrangements for the big show"
are going vigorously forward, and here
one sees all the hustle of preparation.
Philadelphia is completely absorbed in
it. Matters not pertaining to ''the
Centennial attract but momentary at
tentiOn from the denizens of this Qua
ker settlement" which has sprung up
around old Independence Hall and its
cracked bell. And these people have
proved their faith by their works, for
they have put their hand in their peck
cts to the extent of more than a million
and half of dollars, and exercised
their winsome Establishments upon
Congress in a way that brought an
equal sum, even in the face of ''hard
times, and the general tendency to re-
trenchment and economy. am not
Philadelphia and never expect to be,
but somehow there is quaint substan-
tial air about the place and people that
makes me like it. There is neatness,
order, and method, with no lack of en-
ergy and public spirit. There is no os-
tentatious display of wealth, though
everybody knows that it is here.
think the excitements and designations
of fashionable life are comparatively
unknown here; at least they do not ex-
ist as we find them in Washington.
New York, and even Chicago. The
Quaker element keeps down that dis
eased fungus that foists itself upon So
ciety and crops out into the Belknaps
and Tweeds. Yet | will not carry the
parallel so far as to touch Philadelphia
politics. | fear it would mar the reci-
tai, as in this respect the Quaker City
Is scarcely better than its neighbOrs.
The splendid system of building asso-
Citations so much in vogue here is, how
ever, worthy of mention, as its results
are witnessed in the comfortable situa-
ton of mechanics and others of the
middle classes, who are better housed
in Philadelphia than anywhere else in
the world. Nearly every one has
home of his own.
No fairer spot on earth could have
been found for the purpose. and viewed
from Georges Hill-a commanding ele
walton IN Paramount Park-the rising
accommodating buildings of the Exhibit
tion appear with their diversified archi-
lecture, gay colors, and glittering tro-
phies, in the sunshine, like a new city
Of fairyland. Tie majestic long roof
lines of the main building and the ma
chinery building, rhe colossal statues
on the dome and roof Of Memorial Hall
and the granite eagles lowering over its
pavillions; the Gothic arches of the
Agricultural building-its roof of I'M
painted tin, flashing even stronger lus-
tire than the crystal shield of the beau
tiful Mauresque Horticultural Conser- !
vatory little further away-these, to-
gether with the numerous other build |
ings completed and i'm every stage of |
erection by workmen whose trowels |
and hammers make gentle distant |
din, compose scene that when the |
leaves of the intervening trees grow out
in May will have no counterpart i'm any |
travellers memory. Ii was in this |
bright, airy, and graceful Horticultural /
Hall, with its arched roof and beautiful |
colors, that the famous Congressional /
spree, :" on the 18th of December last,
eliminated in grand banquet. In
this enticing place, Congress, the SUI
preme court, and the President and
Cabinet, together with numerous rep
of the third estate, - sat
down together and drank Philadelphia
wine. This is said to be the shrewd de-
vice by which the Government apprO-
priation was carried, but / do not be-
lieve it. Many congressman who en-
joyed the goodies of that occasion voted
mo" on the bill, even at the risk of hav
ing their patriotism questioned. was
in Washington while the matter was
pending, and know that it was not lack
of patriotism that caused those adverse
votes. IL was the overpowering tri-
umph of that very sentimental patriot
ism that carried the measure against
other powerful influences and consid-
erations. Dissatisfaction has been ex-
pressed that the affair is in the hands
Of a corporation, and some greedy
SPECTATORS whose object is gain-to
make few private fortunes. think
this is simply croaking, but promise to
inquire into them, and tell you more
about them in my next.
For full descriptions of the buildings,
and what is to be seen and done; the
details of rules, regulations, and unique
things to transpire in connection with
the Centennial; the opening May 10th,
and the 4th of July Jubilee, etc., L must