The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-08-05
The Centennial Exhibition.
(FRoN A LADY CORRESPONDENT

oswEoo, July 9TH, 1876.
There is one department. of the Centennial Exhi-
bition, which | fear will not have justice done II. viz:
The Woman's Department. Many feel that there was
no need Of any separation Of woman's work from
other exhibitions of the same class, but think there
are q good many reasons why such q separation Is
proper. Perhaps there was a little feeling that the
simple work of our sex compared with the more i'm
pressive production of strong men would suffer by
contrast if shown in the same room. The call for
WOman's work brought contributions from many
women who have no husbands or brothers TO intro
duce them as exhibitors in any other department,
women who would never have thought Of doing any
thing except 10 this unambitious way. This separa-
ton is more an expression Of her retiring modesty,
than of any so-calied trong-mindedness and indie
~pendence on her part. In this department she may
bring her modest exhibits without feeling that she Is
running q race with the other sex-a race in which
she would perhaps be beaten, and gain distinction
only for having attempted an u~nwomanly thing.
Even in this age O woman does still work against
a tide Of prejudice. This is seen in the meagre ex-
preston of sympathy in the newspapers for this de-
p~artment, and the energy aud effort which begot Il.
However humble the exhibition Is, Il shows our
honest effort to do something. and this is certainly
better than idleness, and it is so far c~reditable.
The building of the woman's Pavilion is handsome
architecturally, and is the sixth in size Of the Gen.
tennial Buildings. On either side Of the four prin-
cipai entrances the verse, " Let her works praise her
in the gates, lis printed i'd different languages. The
interior is divided like that Of the other buildings,
each nation having a separate space.
The exhibits from England are mostly Of needle
work. The Queen and four of her daughters have q
case in which are shown examples of royal skill. II
is a tall upright case. and at the top 10 the royal
ooat-of-arms done in embroidery by some member Of
the royal family. A pair Of curtains. white satin (
done in chain stitch with gold oolored silk, 10 the
work Of Princess Alice and Princess Helena. The
design, o truly artistic one, on another pair Of cur
tains, was the work Of Princess Louise. The work
of Princess Beatrice is q purple banner embroidered
with gold colored silk. The Queens industry has
been of On old kind. A linen table napkin is shown,
the fax Of which was spun by the Queen.
There are many exhibitions from the School Of
Royal Art N~eedle-work. The work Is all Of the
same kind, and is, I believe, a revival Of an old
stitch and style of embroidery.
A sight of embroidery and lace done by the ladies
Of Wymondley Vicarage, Sewerage, suggested Troll
lope's novels, and I could fancy some Of his heroines
had sent us specimens of their work.
The lace in the Belgium department is truly
hesitate for an adjective. I want one which expresses.
in speaking Of lace, the utmost Aneness Of thread,
the most artistic and graceful design, and Perfect
work. The want Of such an adjective leaves me
powerless to describe the lace. and I can only let
&c expressive silence muse its praise"
A Miss Eliza Annedson sends a table cover from
Norway. She says, 50 the town is situated under 10
grades, north breadth, near North Cape" Fancy
work in beads, fish scales. &C., and some good plas-
or wax figures are among the exhibits from
making a varied and interesting exhibition.
Our Arab sisters Of the desert are represented by
q large. thick rug, exhibited by the Bey Of Tunis.
The japanese exhibition is large and surprising
10 it is shown lacquer work, dolls, screens, and
nearly every kind OF work shown in the japanese
department in the main building
The exhibition Of the American women Is Of course
he largest. and ii is also more varied. She has not
stuck to the needle so closely as her sisters across
The water. The most striking work on exhibition Ia
The American department is the wood carving. The
argest number Of these specimens come from Gin
Ohio, where there is a school in which The
art is taught. Among the exhibits of wood carving
s a child's bedstead, the work and gift Of q grand
mother to her grand-child. There are also beautiful
,abinets aud music stands and brackets, tastefully
Ind s~killfully carved, the entire work done by
women. Fire frames are exhibited. made Of painted
lies and inlaid wood, done by two ladies Of CAM
Mass. The show Of decorated China is fine.
)ne tea set is decorated with figures Of Roman
warriors and characters. Another set is painted in
lowers Of different kinds. One plate has a flower 10
he center, another has 1t at one side, another on the
i'm, the whole being az dainty and fanoiful as only a
roman or artist could make it. Near the exhibition
( China are some lovely designs for lace, drawn by
chool girls in Boston. | do not remember whether
hose young ladies are members Of the Boston Girls
School, or the Massachusetts Normal School.
he spirit of invention begins to possess the women
{ America, and where should the work Of invention
ftly begin as in the kitchen. A patent dish wash
r is shown. 1t is not q tidy Irish girl.-no such
ariety is on exhibition here, but c wire cylinder.
/ il divided into different compartmenls, one for