The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-09-07
PHILADELPHIA. Pa

To THE EDITOR OF THE TELEGRAPH
MY DEAR SIR I'm these letters let us make
one of our first and handSOmeSt bows to the Ia
dies the Centennial ladies. They surely deserve It,
The feminine half Of mankind the world over II
they only knew it, are indebted for what these
women have done III honor OF their sex. Not one
of the largest, but one of the most elegant OF
these Exposition buildings is theirs, planned and
paid for at cost of $4,000 by the ladies OF the
United States covering nearly an acre OF ground,
and devoted entirely to the display OF the pro-
ducts of feminine taste and SKILL In the form OF
feet into the air and rejecting the brightness Of
the summer sun, while all parts OF the edIfice
are enlivened with focks of gay ,pennants f1ut-
tering in the breeze, though other centennial
structures are grander and more imposing, none
are more attractive in appearance than this:
Yesterday, as l wrote you, could dc. little
more than run through and take general view
of the immense field covered by this mammoth
Exposition. To-day, undertaking to see few
things more closely, devoted a part OF the time
to this beautiful palace OF the women. Here is
everything that WOman'S hands ever wrought or
fairy dreams conceived. But the first trouble in
looking here, as everywhere else, is that you are
simply beWildered by the brilliant display. You
don't know what to look at or to look for amid
this airy realm of beauties Another trouble is
the density of the crowd that is always pressing
in and out through these broad and elegant
portals This particular building for some rea-
son or other would seem to be one of the most
popular resorts in the Exhibition. Reason
enough! All the exhibitors here are ladleS, OF
course some handsome, all intelligent and in
teresting. And it is wonderful how under these
circumstances even such coarse creatures as
men will inger and pretend to be enthusiastic
Spatter pictures, teamwork, wax bouquets, and
| ten thousand other such ethereal and mcompre-
| henSible things. Hence, strange as it may seem,
| in this Women's Pavilion you will find at any
hour of the day about as many masculine gazerS
as feminine.
Great is the spell of royalty SO we pause in
| front of Queen Victoria. Not the queen herself,
| however, but the work of her fingers. Here are
actual embrOideries wrought 10y. Her MaJeSty's
| own hands and sent as contributions to our ma
tOnal centennial. And not only the Queen, but
various families of the English nobility are rep
resented by specimens OF ornamental needle
work, such as cabinets, tire-ScreenS, banner
screens, folding Soreness ottomanS, quilts, COW
erletS, Wall-hangingS, char-cOVerS, fOOt-StOOlS,
tablematS, cushions, portieres, and draperleS OF
various sorts. Thus we see that many OF the
titled mothers and daughters of Britain do not
| live in idleneSS. They have even organized a
school for popular instruction in these branches
| of domestic art. The object is a noble one,
namely, to encourage all ranks of English wO-
men to the cultivation of the skill which will en-
| able them to give added charms to their homes.
| Some of the embroidery wrought by these arts
tocratic fingers is upon the very coarseSt materl-
al, and in designs simple enough to be the first
lesson for child. Is not this the true mission
of art TO be not only the diversion OF the
wealthy but the helper and uplfter of the poor:
| Canada is here with a gorgeous profuslon OF
church decorations, altar cloths and various
cathedral hangingS, the work of Canadian nuns.
Old China and Japan are here with pieces of
needle-Work that are prOdigieS OF patience, such
as only SloWgOing China and Japan could ever
afford to wait for pictures OF women gally
dressed, or even whole landscapes, all wrought
upon a fire screen, or even upon fan, and all
wrought with the needle Here too come
Sweden and Norway with much rare needle
work. though of more practical kind stockings
we'll knit by very small children; curious and
elaborate knitting by very aged women en-
| brOidery in endless variety artificial MOWERS,
filigree-w and many articles OF personal Or
| namentation and home comfort, which, though
| they display high degree OF skill, look odd
enough to our American eyes.
Further along you come to the Cinclnnltl cab
| met makers, all at work. What women do you
mean? Yes, actual women veritable Ohio dam
sails. and gOod-looking ones too, building the
gans, tables, pianos cabinets, book cases, and
other pieces of furniture you ever did see, all a
perfect tissue of leaves and flowers, the work OF
| these fair and delicate hands Many OF these
young and pretty girls are from wealthy families,
and are all pupils of what is called the Cincin-
opening the eyes of the world to new wonders in
this line of art, and at the same time showing
what woman can do
But my letter grows too long. It was noble
thought that prompted the preparation of this
grand exhibition of woman s industry. thought
peculiar to America and to the progressive ideas
: OF the American people peculiar to that adj
vanced christian civilization which places the
achievements OF woman S heart and brain, neltn-
Ell above nor below, but side by side with those
of man. Thus fifty does this beautiful and grace
, full structure rise in the midst of and surrounded
by the larger structures of the Exposition. LII
Turkey or India or China such a thing would be
impossible. 1t is sublime token of the future
| 1t preacneS TO all these mult1tudln0uS nations
mere gathered, louder than any sermon or Grafton
the coming elevation of woman throughout the
: world Il. G. III.