The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-05-27
direction, Illuminating them with

thing to tell what You have seen,
but in the present instance it
would be ike attempting to des
scribe the colors and figures Oh a
Kaleidoscope.
The opening could not be said
to have commenced this morning;
all day yesterday, and for many
days before. thousands upon thou
sands came pouring into the
Quaker City, TIL it actually seem
ed as if the whole Uuited States
must have been depopnlated to
furnish the tremendous crowd.
Where they all found shelter,
Heaven only knows. Indeed, they
did not all find shelter, for all
through the night previous to
the opening, tho streets were
crowded as they usually are OF
Il grand %galaday. Many of the
stores nevtr9cloSed at all. And
along the principal thoroushtares
from dark till dawn, vast crowds
Of people heayed and sErsed like
the waves OF a stormy Sta.iiappy
he who coaid find IA resting place
on the soft side of a plaak, while
an individual lucky enough to cot
III a parlor next to the root, or
under the shelter of a balcony,r6
garded himself as a man whom
kings might envy.
1t Is useless to say that | am
tiLed, sleepy used up, gone inland
as it were, generally done for.
What cares my multitude of read
erS for that they want to hear
about the big show. so, with eyes
blinded with smoke, and head
%wl,izzIng with all sorts Of sights
and sounds, if YOU will only have
patience, ladies and gentlemen, |
will DO the best | can, and try
and begin at the beginning. The
roar of hundreds of cannon wei
coined the coming day for al
though it is not yet our Fourth of
July, it. seemed to be felt, that by
general consent, We had made IA
sort of Gregorian advance of a
few weeks, and were celebrating
the Centennial birthday of the
freedom OF tie American Union.
Ofcourse, one feeling rose para
mount in every heart. a feeling of
thanktulnesS that we were still
a united people ; that nothwith-
standing the disasters and suffer
lngS of the last few years. we were
permitted, in the providence of
God to celebrate with our great
Exhibition. the hundredth year
OF our National Independence.
Chestnut street has altered
materially sincA 1916. bat indie
%prndrnce Hal. still remains in
tact : and within IA few feet ofthp
roar AMI turmoil vt the busy
street, is til" quaint Old room
where a hundred Years ago sat
the stately John Hancock.
hlnkrd by Franklin and .Jetfer-
son and Adams and the rest OF
that >plrndit galaxy. whose
names have become immortal.
The tIrniture is still substan-
tally the same, very shabby,
vcr! old, yet every article of 1t Il
Sacr''u II lie worth more than
god, and bringing lis back to the
better days OF the republic, when
calico was respectable, and two
story bustleS were unknown.
The air wasbalmy and mild,a
it really seemed as if the Almighty
had smiled on the occasion and
covered 1t with BENSON and
blessing. 1t needed no special an
1ouncemert to tell tliatsomethlng
great and important was impend,
ing; crowds had been surging
through the streets all the night
before and, as the day dawned,
soldiers in gay uniforms might be
seen hurTying in every direction,
getting ready for the opening of
the Great Exhibition.
Rcveille beats. bugle calls, the
shrll shIieks of thousands of
steam whistles, were mingled with
the thunder of cannon and the
rattle of small arms. Little boys
unrestrained by vicious police
men, set off whole bundles of fire
crackers at a time, while Young
gentlemen from the country stood
on the street corners discharging
ancient horse pistols, with flint
locks, which looked as though
they might have done service
against Tarleton at Cowpens, or
have riddled the jacket of some
cowardly Hessians, at German
town or Trenton. Everybody
looked smiling 1t was evident
that America, young and old,
were out for all day, and we're
bound to have a good time.
Such a display of bunting was
never seen in the United States
before. Flags, flags, nothing but